


Different results

by deadblackhearts



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Pre-Zombie Apocalypse, Rough Sex, Time Travel Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-11
Updated: 2019-03-15
Packaged: 2019-10-26 08:27:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 45,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17742467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deadblackhearts/pseuds/deadblackhearts
Summary: Waking up in the past was the last thing Glenn expected when he first realized Negan was likely to kill them.However, the past few years have all been about survival and little else so he adapts and plans and somehow, along the way, Glenn manages to fall in love.Funny thing is, if anyone had asked, Glenn would have told them time travel was a sure thing when compared to getting the Dixons to love a Chinaman.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This one was originally started while I was only a few chapters into Lovers and Dictators however at the time I was just running with that story and didn't want to start a new one for more than a fraction of a chapter that was bugging me. Then I hit a snag with L&D and about a month ago decided I would work on this one since the inspiration was hitting me.  
> Daryl/Glenn stories are my favorites in this fandom, those set at the beginning anyway, because I don't really read anything Alexandria based and Merle is always a survivor in my book. I just like the guy and it resulted in this.
> 
> It's not finished yet, but I have about a chapter and a half to go because I didn't want to post anything before I saw the finish line considering I now have three WIPs which is a whole other frustration. In any case, hope you enjoy it.
> 
> I have no Beta, English is not my first language and all mistakes are mine (which I'm willing to change if they are not pointed out in an offensive way). The other thing is the southern accent. Don't speak it, not sure I'm writing it right, but it is what it is and I doubt it will get better. I don't own anything related to the shows and my only payment is the eventual ability to sleep once I get the story out of my head. Thanks

His whole back was burning from the heat of Daryl’s body. His rough fingers rubbed against the sharp edges of Glenn’s hips, his palms framing his straining cock as he held Glenn in place while he whimpered, one drawn out sound after another.

Loud slurps mingled with his pleasure, each one preceding a whine or a moan or a begged “Please” that Glenn just couldn’t help. Another rough pair of hands held his thighs wide apart not giving him even an inch, pressing him against Daryl’s hard cock nestled in between Glenn’s cheeks and he didn’t really know how he wasn’t coming yet.

Daryl licked the sensitive skin behind Glenn’s ear and he stretched further, giving him better access only to earn a praise, “So good baby, perfect for us, just giving it away as you’re suppose’ to.”

A growl sent vibrations up his balls to the tip of his cock and a drop of precome slipped down his length, “Little loud slut, a lick over his nuts and his pussy is all wet,” rough skin of a thumb rubbed against his rim and Glenn pushed at it, wanting that finger inside, stretching him before just the words pushed him over the edge, it’d happened before. He’d had no fucking idea just filthy words and hands on non-strategic places of his body could make him come.

Teeth closed over the flesh in between his neck and shoulder, working on another bruise and while that might have given him flashbacks some months ago, now it had his balls pulling up only for the big hand to wrap around them and tug harshly.

Glenn felt tears slide down his cheeks as he cried out, exposed, vulnerable and so fucking horny, “Merle, please, Merle…”

**_Yeah, didn’t see that coming, did you? Well, neither did Glenn when he first set along his path, it never even crossed his mind. But then again, who knew it would be possible to go back in time, to write out a different future and who fucking knew that Dixons might have loved their slurs in some past reality, but in this one, they sure loved them some cock, too._ **

Glenn woke up with a start, struggling against the covers and breathing harshly enough he was positive there were geeks somewhere close just about to get him. Tears of frustration sprung to his eyes when he finally pushed through the sheet and fell on the floor beside his bed.

He looked around frantically searching for danger, for the walkers when the flash of a bat hitting his head gave him another scare and he flung himself backwards falling on his ass and pushed himself until his shoulder blades touched the wall. It was real, so fucking real. That happened! Maggie!

Glenn gave his surroundings another try, doing his best to figure out where he was, but everything seemed wrong. It was too clean and the air smelled fresh, lacking the ever present decay of dead bodies and was that a running clock on the oven? Electricity?

Wait a minute, he knew this place, he'd lived in this place.

Glenn got to his feet, almost stumbling again and edged his way to the window despite not seeing any walkers around. But the view wasn’t something he was prepared for. It was alive and rushing, the way Atlanta used to be before, before…

He could feel his heart beating as if he was in the middle of a fight, but he didn’t know what to do about it, was he dreaming? Was he dead? He was probably dead. But if he was, being dead was a hell of a lot better than actually living, or what living had become with so many dead actually walking.

His phone ringing scared the life out of him and it took him a moment to realize what it even was. It’d been what felt like years since he’d last heard the sound and with a hesitant step he walked to it. Taking a peek he saw it was Jeremy calling and it took him even longer to remember he was one of the guys from work.

Tentatively he answered, “Hello?”

“Glenn, my man, please take my shift today, I’ll owe you until the end of the world and do my best to make it up to you well before that happens.” 

Glenn snorted at the phrasing then realized he actually remembered this day. He had a day off and was planning on going to the bank to work out a payment plan for some of his loans. Considering what the future had in store for him there was no way that was happening.

“Sure. I’ll take your shift.” Glenn said vaguely listening to the enthusiastic thanks before hanging up.

Was it possible? Was all of it happening again? A new start, a way for him to make things right. Only how was he supposed to do that? He should fortify himself somewhere and find the rest of the group, stock up on supplies… But he had no money and if he even mentioned the words future and walkers his fate was as good as sealed. He couldn’t even warn the others. Maybe anonymously… That was a thought. Call them up, give them vague warnings and hope for the best.

His first instinct was to call Maggie and make sure she was alright, but he restrained himself. If he was right, there was still a year, maybe more until the apocalypse and just calling the farm would mark him as a lunatic or a stalker and the same would happen if he just turned up there. He couldn’t just fake his way around and pretend he didn’t love her. He’ll always love her, but if he was being realistic, he didn’t see himself going through the same life with her again. For a start he would never in a million years risk her getting pregnant. The uncertainty alone drove him half insane the first time round, doing it a second time wasn’t going to happen. Man, just having her go through the Governor once again had him feeling queasy.

No, seeing Maggie was out of the question. But he could maybe warn Rick, but about what he didn’t even know. Should he tell him to watch for Lori and Shane, did that even happen before the quarry? And when was it that Rick got shot? That would require some calculation and a lot of remembering the details he’d forgotten.

Carol? He had no idea where to begin there, plus she was a different woman right now, and married to Ed. There was no way of tangling with that and him getting out safely and with his teeth. Ed was prone to hitting before asking questions. 

God, T-Dog was still alive somewhere, he could find him. Glenn had no idea what he would say, but he would think of something. He had nothing on Jacqui or Jim the same with Andrea and Amy. He could maybe look for Dale, but he was either saying goodbye to his wife right about now or he was already on his trip. Maybe it was better to let history repeat itself there.

But Daryl had to be easy to find, if not him directly Merle had a record, he was listed somewhere.

And so a plan was born, no matter how shitty it was a different plan with a different expected result.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
“Hello, Rick Grimes speaking.” The voice was so familiar Glenn barely stopped his legs from collapsing under him.

After a month of living his old life he’d realized he’d never actually felt that alone in the world, like ever. It was all about squirreling money and building a stash of supplies, something that was pretty much ingrained in him by now, but he missed the people. The group that was pretty much on top of him all the time for years and now he had a whole apartment for himself no others breathing around him at night, no quiet chatter nor casual touch. He felt starved and the fucking noise was driving him insane. It was everywhere, the cars, the phones, commercials, TV. Even his fridge was making noise and after that first week he’d decided he didn’t really need TV or a land line, or electricity in general. He forgot about warm water but the winter was at its last and Glenn didn’t plan on staying there until the next one. Instead he earned and gathered and now finally felt brave enough for his first phone call.

“Yeah, um… I can’t really tell you how I know this, but please, please believe me cause I really don’t want anything to happen to you.” Glenn hesitated, “Yeah, in about a year there’s gonna be a car chase and a car will flip over and there will be a shoot-out and just when you relax from the flipped car another criminal will come out and he will shoot you which will land you in a coma.”

“Who is this?” Rick asked sounding annoyed and Glenn knew just how crazy he sounded but he couldn’t stop talking, “Please don’t end up in a coma and watch for that other guy and when shit hits the fan head for the Quarry near Atlanta instead of into the city, and you know, I think Shane and Lori might be having an affair, so yeah. I gotta go. Bye.” Glenn hung up the payphone and ran away from there knowing he’d probably screwed up badly and there was no way of fixing it now. He certainly never planned on saying all that.

He pulled his hat lower and got into his pizza car around the corner. There was no way he was calling the others until just before everything goes to shit. Easier that way and less time for them to screw things up.

This would be his last shift at his job. He’d found Merle in jail and by googling extensively he found the location where he’d been arrested. He doubted Daryl would be far from him at any given time so Glenn found himself a new job and decided he would find Daryl one way or another and he would have money to hire him.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Cashing in everything he owned was easier than Glenn thought it would be. Running for your life put things in perspective and Glenn knew he could live easily enough with only the basics. His collector editions cost a fortune and he didn’t really realize he’d spent so much money on meaningless bullshit before the dead started walking. In the end it turned out alright. He’d emptied his account, sold everything that could make a buck and with his new found saving policy he had more money than ever before in his whole life.

He bought himself an old, used and probably reused van that looked like shit but ran well and filled it up with his stash of food and all kinds of other necessities he’d managed to get at various bargains. He’d become a couponer, a frantic internet searcher who now had contacts in the underground – which pretty much meant housewives with extra time and plenty of coupons to trade – and an extreme penny pincher who used public libraries and attened sales.

Glenn knew he would be back in Atlanta, he had to gather the rest of the group and the quarry was a good place to wait it out until the first hit ran its course, but as the weeks passed, Glenn had done some thinking and he came to the conclusion that his best chance was in getting Daryl and Merle on his side.

He liked Rick but Glenn had to admit he didn’t show himself as the best leader in the beginning and Glenn needed to spare himself some of those horrible mistakes they’d made. If he could pull Daryl out of his shell before everything they stood a great chance in surviving longer and with fewer struggles on their hands.

So it came to be that he found himself on the road through forested north Georgia where he’d never been before and Glenn wondered why they couldn’t have picked a different direction during their run from Atlanta. The woods were so thick and towns fewer they probably would have survived a lot easier with Daryl on their side.

The small town he’d found a room in for the night seemed forgotten in time with only a couple of stores and three bars and at a second glance a perfect place for Merle to cause trouble. Glenn hoped he would have some luck following him and he would find Daryl without attracting any attention.

Nervous as he was generally, Glenn gave his approach a lot of thought, but he figured he would screw it up one way or another and the important thing was to keep his voice and not run until the blows started. He was bound to get some answers before he got beat up.

The lady renting him the room was nice enough despite giving him the stink eye and just to make sure Glenn double checked he’d locked his van before heading to the first bar on his list.

It was just as dark and unwelcome as he’d expected. He rubbed his sweaty palm on his jeans and swallowed nervously before letting the door close behind him and approaching the bartender. 

The man looked rougher than Glenn remembered Merle being and for a moment he wasn’t sure just how good of an idea it was to try the Dixon’s first, but then he remembered his plan and soldiered on.

“You’re new.” The guy growled.

Glenn swallowed again, “Yeah, just got into town actually,” he tapped his fingers against the bar, “hmm, I was wondering if you could help me out.”

The man smirked, “I doubt it.”

Glenn pretended he didn’t hear him, “I’m looking for Merle or Daryl Dixon and I’ve been told they might be somewhere around here.”

The guy narrowed his eyes, “We don’t serve the likes of Merle in ‘ere boy.”

Glenn paused, “Oh, well. Do you perhaps know where they live so I don’t take any more of your time?”

“Boy, you best find your way to the door.” The man leaned forward and swallowing a yelp Glenn did just that.

He took a deep breath as he got outside, liking the fresh air, and gave himself a moment to find his courage once more. He needed Daryl and going around Merle’s shit first was bound to be tedious.

The second bar ended up being much the same, but in addition to the unfriendly bartender, it also sported a couple of rednecks with Merle's stoned disposition and they had plenty to say both about the company he was keeping as well a whole variety of comments about him personally. Looking at it objectively Merle had been more original, but these people seemed way more vicious.

He was just about to head toward the last bar when a woman's voice called, “Hey! You lookin’ for the boys for any legal reasons?”

Glenn turned and realized he’d seen her inside before and now she was leaning against the building smoking. She wore very little, but after seeing the women in his group in all kind of state of dress and often more dirty than clean, Glenn found himself somewhat immune to the exposed skin. “No. They came recommended for some trouble I’m having.”

The woman snorted, “I don’t wanna know what kind of trouble you’re in if those boys came recommended. But you can find them, or you can find Daryl, if you follow that narrow old dirt road at the back of the drugstore up hill. It’s a hike, mind you.”

Glenn smiled at her, “Thank you.”

After that he didn’t waste any time. He got back to his room, picked up his backpack and got into his van. He preferred carrying his things with him at all times even if nothing came of Daryl’s help.

The road really was narrow and on occasion he didn’t think his van would actually make it, but as he finally emerged into the clearing some twenty minutes later he realized there was more than one house there and all were a good distance apart. Most were surrounded by trees and none of them were in a good condition, but Glenn really didn’t care. He still remembered Daryl’s truck and Merle’s bike and he kept his eyes open searching for them.

Their house was not the worst of the lot, but it came close and it was at the very end of the actual road. Glenn recognized the truck right away but didn’t see the bike anywhere.

Parking up front he gathered all the courage he could muster and walked up to the front door where he knocked. And knocked. And then knocked once more.

He wasn’t sure if Daryl being away was a good or a bad thing. On one hand it just postponed the inevitable crash, but on the other it gave him some more time. Shrugging and knowing there was nothing else to do except wait, he got back into his van and pulled out a pile of papers and started snipping his coupons.

It was some four hours later when he heard the familiar sound of Merle’s bike and his heart instantly jumped to his throat. He gave himself a quick pep talk and did his best to steel his heart before he got out of the van.

Sure enough not a moment later, Daryl parked the bike not once taking his suspicious gaze off Glenn.

Glenn swallowed. Hard.

“Hello.I’m Glenn, it’s nice to meet you” He said with a smile, his hands in his pockets.

Daryl’s gaze got even more suspicious.

Glenn pressed on vaguely remembering he’d been through worse than a suspicious Daryl and he’d come out of it alive. Until he didn’t. But that wasn’t the point. The point was he could do this, and he would. “I’m sorry to bother you, but you came recommended for your skills and I’m willing to pay you to teach me.”

Daryl narrowed his eyes, spat on the road and asked, “Recommended for wha’?”

Glenn gave him a sheepish smile and shrugged, “You see,…” He hesitated for a moment before soldiering on, “I believe sometime soon the end of the world will happen and we all will have to learn to survive off nature. I want to learn how.”

Daryl looked at him for a second then snorted and headed toward his house laughing.

Glenn followed, “I’ll pay you!”

Daryl stopped and turned. “Oh yeah?”

“Sure. I’ll pay you to teach me and I’ll pay you for staying at your house,” only for Daryl to interrupt him, “There ain’t no way you’re staying at my house, kid.”

Glenn tilted his head, “I’ll pay you rent.”

Daryl lifted his eyebrows, “You’ll pay me rent to live in this dump with me? Wha’ the hell is wrong with ya?”

Rubbing the toes of his shoe in the dirt he looked at Daryl’s eyes, “I really need this. I need to learn or I’m dead.” And the worst part was he knew exactly how he would die, too.

There was a moment of quiet before Daryl said, “Man, you ain’t even seen the inside. It’s worse than the outside.”

“Look, I really don’t care. I’ve got a job already and I need a place to stay anyway. I’ll take care of our food, too. But not the actual cooking, I’ll just buy food, okay? I’ll pay you rent for you to teach me everything you know about survival in the wild. You add fighting to that, too.” Glenn said with a sigh on the verge of one of his rambling rants.

“You’re crazy.” Daryl just said.

Getting desperate, Glenn took two steps forward, “Please, man, you’re my last chance, how much do you want?”

Daryl pulled a pack of smokes out of his pocket and lit one up before looking back at Glenn, “Ten thousand.”

“Done.” Glenn couldn’t have said it any faster and he pushed his hand forward for a handshake.

Daryl just turned, kicked the edge of his porch fence with the tip of his boot and Glenn heard him curse, “Dammit, I knew I shoulda asked for more.”

Glenn just grinned as he watched him go inside the house, then rushed for his backpack and made sure his van was locked up before following him.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
“This is the only free room we’ve got. Except Merle’s but ya don’t want that one.”

Agreeing more than Daryl could ever know, Glenn nodded and took a look around. The walls were grey and there was a fist hole in one wall. There was only a mattress inside, thrown on a couple of pallets, a wardrobe with one door hanging off its hinges and a carpet underneath it all that was so dirty it looked black.

“This is great, thanks.” Glenn said as he turned toward Daryl with a smile.

Daryl just gave him a look of disbelief before turning around and yelling from somewhere, “This is the bathroom.”

Glenn followed quickly, giving the bathroom a quick look before Daryl motioned toward two other rooms, “This one is mine, so don’t go in there, and this one is Merle’s and if ya care for your life it won’t even occur to ya to step inside.”

“Who’s Merle?”

Daryl smirked, “He’s me brother. He’s in jail now.”

“Hmm…” Glenn pretended he wasn’t bothered at all despite actually still fearing Merle, “Do you mind if I clean up around here a little?”

Daryl waved his hand as he turned away, “Naw, man, knock yourself out.”

Glenn followed again and watched as Daryl dropped down on his couch and turned on the TV, “Does this place have a basement? I kind of have a stash of things with me and I don’t want it stolen if I leave it in the van.”

He supposed he would have to get used to Daryl’s disbelieving looks but he wasn’t there yet, “How much stuff?”

“The van is full.”

“Then you don’t want to move that shit in daylight. The less people ‘round here know the better.”

Leaning against a wall, Glenn asked, “You think someone will try and steal it from the house?”

Snorting, Daryl turned back toward the TV, “The only one stealing shit from this house is Merle.”

“Should I lock it up then for when he comes back?” Glenn hadn’t considered what would happen when Merle came back. He could easily pay him, he had enough money until he could turn them to his side and have them using that same money to buy guns. That was the plan anyway.

“He’s got at least another couple months if he doesn’t act up. Ya think you’ll still be here?”

“Dude, I need all the help I can get. And learning how to both fight and survive in the outdoors could take a while.” Glenn told him as earnestly as he could.

Scratching at his stomach Daryl added, “Well, at least you’ll be payin’ rent.”

“So, can we start tomorrow?” Glenn figured there was still time, but not necessarily that much time.

“I work every weekday day and every second Saturday. I suppose we could go to the woods on the weekends and I’ll teach ya how to handle weapons and how ta fight after work.” Daryl said but in a way that it all sounded like a question.

“That’s fine with me. I start work tomorrow too. Just weekdays at a bakery.” Glenn explained looking around as he talked. He was already making a list of things he would need to clean the place up then asked, “You think I can borrow your truck today for a trip to the store? I’d like to start cleaning this place a bit.”

Narrowing his eyes at him, Daryl took a second to answer, “The key’s by the door. You scratch it, you pay for it.”

But Glenn just smiled. Apparently Daryl was the same as always. It took him a while to warm up to a person but once he decided that someone was alright he didn’t go back on his decision for no reason.

“Thanks man, I’ll have it back safe and sound. Do you need anything from the store? And do you have any clean sheets?”

“Check the bathroom.” Daryl got up and looked in the fridge, “And buy a pack of beer. There’ just one left.” Which he took out and got back to the couch.

Surprisingly enough Glenn was loving all of it. Daryl might not have remembered but he was close enough to the Daryl Glenn had known and there was certain comfort in that. In addition he wasn’t alone anymore. There was actually conversation and another person breathing in the same space. Glenn was happy, especially because it had gotten so bad at times in the past few weeks that Glenn wished for Merle’s drunken snoring just so he’d feel less alone at night.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Sorting through his coupons took a while, but not as long as Glenn needed to check out the rest of the house and make a list of all the food and cleaning products he thought he would need. He was still in his saving mode, but for now this place would be his base and considering how shitty the future would get, Glenn figured he could at least live cleanly and somewhat comfortably for the next few months.

The store was a bit of an issue since he had to go one town over for a store big enough it would have everything he needed and would accept his coupons. It was a force of habit more than anything that he scoured all the trash containers he saw along the way and thought might contain more offers or coupons. He wasn’t wrong either.

The whole shopping lasted way longer than he thought simply because he wasn’t familiar with the store and it took forever for him to find all the deals he wanted. Another unusual thing was actually using coupons that weren’t for food. Those were the ones he usually exchanged with other couponers together with any he had for pet stuff. Not something he would need after the end of the world.

On the way back he paid for a deposit box and left all the money he currently didn’t need.

It was well after dark by the time he reached Daryl’s house and there was just one light in the house while he could see Daryl’s lit cigarette on the porch where he must have been sitting.

“Come help me get all of this into the house.” Glenn called as he got out of the truck and walked to the full truck bed.

“What did ya do? Buy out the fuckin’ store? Must have cost half my paycheck.” Daryl mumbled as he threw his cigarette and stepped on it.

“Sixteen bucks. I had coupons.” Glenn answered absentmindedly as he started pulling out bags.

“You had wha’?”

Glenn turned to him and noticed Daryl’s confused expression, “I had coupons. I collect them or print them out then cut them out of papers and use them to get deals on the stuff I want. It saves money.”

Following after him with his hands full, Daryl mumbled, “Didn’t know you could do tha’.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t know either up until a month ago. Now I feel it might swallow my life if I let it.” Glenn explained as he put the bags on the kitchen table which was miraculously free of junk. “Can you start unpacking and putting things away while I get the rest of it?”

Daryl didn’t even spare him an answer, he just started doing as told and with one last glance at all the empty cupboards Glenn went back to the car.

It was another half hour before they started emptying the van and once Glenn saw the mess in the basement, he just started putting everything on a pile thinking he would sort it out tomorrow.

He was going back to bed when Daryl asked, “Are you one of them hoarders or somethin’?”

“No. Notice how I only gather food and medicine and things like tarps and candles? The world is gonna end soon.” Glenn rolled his eyes at Daryl’s expression, “Yeah, I know I sound crazy, insane or whatever, but humor me. If what I’m telling you is the truth, then it will be great we’re prepared, right? But if I’m full of shit as you think I am, where’s the harm? You have a house full of food, money in your pocket and in a few months you’ll be able to forget this ever happened.”

Daryl bit at his thumb nail, “So you’ve gotta date for this end of the world an’ shit ?”

Glenn thought on it for a while, not sure if he should actually share anything, but then figured why not? Daryl would either believe him or not, and he was never the kind of guy who would go around spreading shit no matter what he thought about people. “It all starts going to hell in December. By February the world as we know it will be over.”

Daryl groaned and rubbed at his face, “That’s some heavy shit, kid. Better get to bed if you’re workin’ at a bakery in the morning. I’d heard they start at five.”

This time Glenn groaned and stumbled to his room only to groan again when he realized he’d never made his bed and he heard Daryl snickering at him in the hallway. That had him smiling and he threw a sheet over the mattress before dropping down on it, clothes and everything.


	2. Chapter 2

It was Daryl who woke him up in the morning, and it was such a common occurrence in the future Glenn was on his feet in seconds reaching for a weapon he no longer had. His confusion lasted longer than he would have liked, but it was the dark which always made things worse. Geeks were in the dark, so were the humans.

“You’ve got that PTSD shit goin’ on or what?” Daryl asked him from somewhere next to the door where Glenn could barely see his outline.

“Or something…” He answered rubbing at his eyes, still feeling very much tired.

“Whatever. Get a clock for tomorrow. I’m goin’ back to bed.” Daryl’s door clicked closed behind him.

The bathroom was rather disgusting once Glenn turned on the light and he swore he would clean that once he got back from work. He left a note for Daryl on the table and took his truck, hoping Daryl wouldn’t mind. If he did Glenn would figure something else out.

It took a while to actually find the bakery since he’d arranged everything online, but once he did his first day went alright. He got paid under-the-counter as agreed and on the way back home he stopped at the room he’d rented and explained he’d found other accommodations.

He was home by one and right away he got to cleaning. He started from his room and worked his way out. By the time Daryl came home he was halfway through sorting his stash in the basement.

“Didn’t know the house could look so clean.” Daryl’s comment startled him enough he dropped his cans of soup and bumped into the car part filled boxes he’d moved to the side.

“Jesus, make a sound, won’t you.” Glenn said holding one hand against his chest.

Daryl just smirked. “We makin’ anything to eat?”

“Dude, I told you I’ll buy the food, but I don’t cook. Don’t know how.” Glenn shrugged.

“Gimme half an hour.” Daryl nodded and went back up the stairs.

It was less than that when the smell of cooking started to reach the basement and Glenn’s stomach had him leaving everything and heading toward the kitchen.

Lunch was some kind of a pasta, tomato and green beans soup and even if it had not smelled delicious Glenn would have eaten it. Going hungry and contemplating eating dog food puts things in perspective. However what Daryl had made was really good and Glenn couldn’t contain his moan at the first bite.

“Christ, eat it, don’t fuck it.” Daryl mumbled but Glenn could see the blush climbing up his neck and smirked before finishing his meal and taking seconds.

“I’ll do the dishes later.” Glenn said as he patted his belly, but Daryl looked at him as if the dishes hadn’t even occurred to him. Come to think of it, considering the state of the house, it probably hadn’t.

“So what do ya want to do first?” Daryl asked as he led him into the back yard which was basically the forest.

Glenn pretended to think about it, “Do you know how to handle any weapons other than guns and rifles? Something we can practice with here without someone calling the cops.”

Daryl gave him one of those calculating looks again then disappeared inside the house only to reaper with a crossbow.

Doing his best to look surprised, Glenn asked, “You can shoot that?”

Daryl glared at him as if he was an idiot then aimed and fired, hitting a mark on a homemade target Glenn only then noticed.

Whistling Glenn came closer, “That was neat. And kind of dangerous. Can you teach me?”

Tilting his head first, Daryl eventually nodded saying only, “Watch.”

He then showed him how to cock the crossbow, load the arrow and which way was the best for aiming. Glenn unfortunately got stuck at drawing the string back which had Daryl in stitches.

“You need to work your upper body more.” Was the comment he eventually got.

“Tell me about it. It’s not the only thing I need to work on.” Glenn sighed, “Come, show me how to aim this thing.”

So that was what they did for the next few hours and eventually Glenn managed to hit the edge of the target at which point he was barely able to hold the crossbow straight. To his misfortune, Daryl wasn’t done with him. After all that shooting, he expected Glenn to work out and he kept on showing his muscles right there next to Glenn as he did push-ups and pull ups and all kind of other types of torture.

Glenn ate his dinner with his eyes half closed and almost collapsed in the shower. He didn’t remember going to bed nor setting up his new alarm clock, but that was what woke him the next morning.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
It took three more days before Glenn decided it would be best if he actually ran to work in the morning. He started getting up earlier and going to bed at an hour he was ashamed to admit to, but all of his efforts seemed to make him more tolerable to Daryl. He supposed Daryl saw the work Glenn was putting into it and he respected that. He even did everything he could to make it easier on Glenn and somehow their little cohabitation worked rather well.

So the weekend came and while Glenn remembered their deal, he was still somewhat surprised when Daryl came home from work earlier and first made them some lunch then installed a double lock on the basement door before he dragged out his camping gear and started loading up his truck.

“I don’t have any camping gear yet.” Glenn admitted as he moved from one foot to the other.

“You can use Merle’s. I’ll go get it.” Daryl headed toward the house.

“Won’t he kill me for that?” Glenn asked tentatively.

Daryl chuckled, “Yeah, he probably would, if he ever found out about it. So we ain’t gonna tell ‘im.”

Glenn bobbed his head up and down a couple of times, “Yeah, that will work. Let me just get dressed in something better and bring a change of clothes.”

“What do ya need a change of clothes for? ‘tis just one night.”

Glenn just looked at him, “Well what if I get wet or something?”

Daryl’s expression was only more disbelieving, “Ya take them off and put them to dry by the fire. It ain’t gonna rain this weekend.”

“Isn’t it best to be prepared?” Glenn tried once more.

Daryl shook his head and turned away mumbling, “Damn city princess.”

That actually had Glenn somewhat offended. He’s lived through such shit and if he’d been a princess years ago before the fucking doomsday, he certainly wasn’t now. But he just gritted his teeth and did as he wanted before he got into the truck with Daryl and they were off.

They drove for a long time with Daryl occasionally commenting, “This trail leads to a lake, but it’s a ways off.” Or “This type of bark is best if everything is wet and you need to make a fire.”

Glenn wrote it all down and did his best to remember. It also gave him an idea of actually carrying maps with him and noting down things and locations on them that would help them scavenge later on.

They took a turn after a few hours which Glenn would probably have to see a few more times before he would remember it and parked. Daryl helped him put the unfamiliar backpack on and they started their hike.

It took another couple of exhausting hours and by the time Daryl declared that they were there, Glenn just about collapsed where he stood.

He learned to light a fire as soon as they set their tents and in a different way than Daryl had showed him in the future. But instead of laying down and resting, Daryl had him up and on his feet walking through the nature slowly as he taught him how to track. Glenn had a feeling he was rather hopeless at it.

Later, when Glenn didn’t really feel his legs anymore and they were roasting sausages on the fire, he asked, “In a hypothetical situation, if you knew the whole world would be against you and you would have to fortify yourself against say, savage people and animals, which place would you pick?”

Daryl spat into the dirt, “Damn, and I thought the craziest shit had already left your mouth on that first day I’d met ya.”

Glenn laughed and kicked Daryl’s boot with the tip of his lightly, “Come on, I’m being serious.”

Smirking at him Daryl seemed to actually be thinking about it. “It depends on a lot of factors, I suppose. Is the army or the cops after me?”

Glenn shook his head, “No. There’s no more army or police. Imagine the society as you know it doesn’t exist anymore. There are no laws, government, no electricity or food production. Most of the population is dead and those who aren’t are struggling to survive themselves. So if you do meet any people around there are more likely to kill you and steel your stuff than to help you out.”

“You mean the same as it is today?” Daryl asked with a drawl.

“Yeah, kind of,” Glenn chuckled, “You also have to be somewhere closed in, or walled off, cause some other people move in hoards and are likely to kill you.”

Daryl lifted an eyebrow, “Are ya talking ‘bout zombies? Seriously?”

Glenn laughed again, “Come on, just think about it.” He then tried his sausage and promptly burned his tongue.

“Ya know, you’re not real useless like, but sometimes ya still make me wonder.” Daryl shook his head.

“You don’t have any idea, do you?” Glenn squinted at him.

“Fuck you!” Daryl shot, “I’d go to a fucking island. Something small enough to keep watch but large enough to grow food and animals and I’d stock it as much as I could first so that I don’t really have to leave once I’m fortified.”

Glenn stilled. He thought on it, wondering exactly how doable it was. Not a bad idea really, and if he could go right now, it was perfect, but he’d planned on collecting the others when the shit hit the fan and he wasn’t sure how to do that at all.

“You think we could go scout an uninhabited island and then start slowly stocking it with supplies?” Glenn wondered out loud.

“Oh fuck no, kid, don’t ya drag me into whatever fantasy life you’re livin’.” Daryl took a vicious bite of his sausage and licked his lips then fingers.

“Aren’t you already in it with me?” Glenn asked with a smirk.

“Shit no!” Daryl started laughing, “The day I believe in a fuckin’ zombie apocalypse is the day Merle lays off drugs and booze.”

“Yeah, alright. But still think about it.” Glenn looked at him through the fire, “How would you survive something like that and save a few people with you? And don’t say you’d do it alone. More people means more bodies on watch and more hands to help you out.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Daryl looked away and lit up a cigarette.

“You know, those will run out quickly once the world as we know it is over.” Glenn teased.

“Shut the fuck up, kid. Can’t you be quiet for one fuckin’ minute?”

“Sure.” Glenn just smiled and finished his dinner. There was still plenty of time to work Daryl over to his side. It was Merle who would be a real challenge.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Waking up the next morning seemed somehow more natural than any other morning since he’d woken up in the past. There was nothing but sounds of the forest around him, an occasional shuffle as Daryl moved and his own breathing. In a way it felt like coming home and Glenn realized despite all the hardship and downright misery of the apocalypse, it had been an environment where both Glenn and Daryl had thrived.

Daryl had had a skill no one else could brag with, and Glenn had been fast and resourceful. For a long time he’d been the only provider for the whole group and he’d been able to hold his own in a swarm of geeks. They had a few friends which was more than they could have said before. Glenn for sure and what he’d seen from Daryl, the man had no one but his brother. So yes, having the dead walking around and the population drastically reduced had been good for them, and this time Glenn wanted to make it even better. So all of them survived and thrived without all the psychopaths circling around them like sharks.

He got out of the tent in just his boxer shorts and a T-shirt, scratching at his belly half under the shirt and jawing. 

“Jeez!” Suddenly Daryl snapped him out of it, “We don’t all havta see that.” He gestured toward Glenn’s crotch.

Glenn probably would have blushed some years ago, but after having an almost identical conversation before, he just grinned, “Man, if you didn’t have the same problem when you got up, you should go see your doctor.”

Daryl threw some leaves at him, “Ya little punk.”

Glenn just laughed and bent to get inside the tent where he actually got dressed.

“Is this good enough, princess?” Glenn teased as he got out and went to find a tree to piss behind.

“I ain’t no princess, ya fucker. Just don’t need another man’s junk in my face the first thing in the mornin’.” Daryl yelled after him.

As he finished Glenn came back, “You’re scaring all the game around just ‘cause you’re afraid of a little cock.”

“I ain’t no fag, man.” Daryl paused then looked at him under his eyebrows, “Are ya callin’ yourself little?”

Glenn blushed but wasn’t planning on giving up, “Who knows, I probably am when compared to you. Never seen your junk.”

“And ya ain’t gonna, fuckin’ cocksucker.” Daryl mumbled.

Glenn sat down on a log, “Well, can’t say I’ve ever sucked a cock. Had a girl once. Even a kid on the way.” He was lost in memories for a moment, fucking painful memories before he snapped out of it and turned it all into a joke again, “But it doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate male physique. I do have eyes you know.”

“God damn it!” Daryl snapped and walked away, but Glenn caught the blush on his face and just chuckled and started getting stuff out for breakfast.

He was more bisexual than anything, but in all the years before the dead walked, he’d had enough trouble with women to actually risk hitting on a straight guy. Afterwards it wouldn’t have even occurred to him. There were too many ways he was likely to get killed and the possibility of getting the attention of a homophobe in addition to everything else seemed like overkill and cured him of any possible attraction real quick. Then Maggie happened and he never felt there would be anyone else for him. Which was real stupid when he thought about it. Even if she’d lived past him, there was little chance her and the baby survived. They all died so quickly back then.

As he sat there thinking about it, he realized he actually was attracted to Daryl. All that before was just teasing, but he’d noticed him back at the quarry, all from a distance like since he’d been scared out of his mind of getting killed for just looking. Even if Daryl let him be, Merle surely would have ended him. It was only later, when they became friends that he realized Daryl was someone he could have actually loved in that way, but whatever chance they might have had was long gone and it never became more than a fleeting thought in Glenn’s mind.

Now, when he thought about it, there was still the possibility Daryl was straight and there was also Merle to consider and truly, Glenn just didn’t want to mess up his chances. He would tease on occasion but he wouldn’t risk all his plans. However, maybe this was his opportunity to find a gay bar someplace and try his chances. There was no way he would risk anything like it again when shit hits the fan and he’d already decided he wouldn’t pursue Maggie this time round. That left for a dry spell likely to last years. Not something he was looking forward to.

That was when he heard Daryl through the foliage. He still looked pissed as hell, but Glenn knew some of his tells and if anything Daryl was still embarrassed and trying to hide it.

“I’m not gonna jump you, you know.” Glenn said casually.

Daryl paused in his step then seemed to decide something and crossed the distance and sat back down on his log. “Shut up.”

“I’m serious. I’ve thought about it and while you’re real attractive,” He noticed the way Daryl instantly started to get red and how he ducked to hide more of himself, but Glenn continued, “I don’t want to risk your help or get killed when your brother gets out of prison. But then again, if the world goes to shit, real soon I won’t have any more opportunity to get laid and I’ve realized I would like to get rid of that particular virginity while I’m still able.”

Daryl chanced a glance Glenn couldn’t read but then ducked again, “Merle’s an equal opportunity kind of guy. He’s been in the army and in prison and when there wasn’t any pussy on tap he decided he liked anal just fine.” He bit his thumb nail as he looked into the trees, “He’s always saying shit about people. Racist I suppose you’d call ‘im, but if he’s sober he don’t really care. That nasty mouth mostly only comes out when he’s drunk off his ass or drugged up.”

“Really? And how does that work for you?” Glenn tilted his head.

Daryl shrugged, “I don’t really care none. It ain’t me he’s fuckin’ and I got used to the cursing real fast. My pa meant every word he’d said and he was way worse than Merle could ever be.”

That was something Glenn never actually knew. Over the months together, he realized Daryl was abused as a kid, but he never was certain Merle had nothing to do with it. And as a point Daryl rarely talked about Merle and he certainly never mentioned his good sides.

“You feel like teaching me how to set traps today?” Glenn decided to change the subject while he still could. There would be plenty of opportunity for conversation in the future.

“Sure. But we ain’t gonna catch anything today.”

“That’s okay. I just want to learn how. We can maybe go on a longer weekend sometime and actually eat what we catch.” Glenn said with a smile while Daryl just nodded at him.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
That night when they got home, Glenn dragged out some snacks he’d bought, some beer and pushed Daryl onto the couch while he found a movie for them to watch.

“If the world really ends, we won’t have any more opportunity to watch TV. We should enjoy it while we can.”

“You’re all flavors of crazy, man.” Daryl said but he was grinning and Glenn grinned back.

“We had a good time in the forest, didn’t we?” Glenn nudged him with his shoulder.

“Was fine.” Daryl bit at his thumb nail again and Glenn assumed he was remembering the embarrassing conversation.

“You think you can do this with me for the next few months?” Glenn asked.

“I suppose. Should probably teach ya to fix a car, too. Merle’s better at it though. He’d built his bike from scratch. Was damn proud of it, too. Said he would build one for me, but never got around to it.”

“Drugs and booze?” Glenn wondered.

“Yeah. Can’t seemed to stay sober for long enough. Keeps tryin’ to set up deals so he can get rich and hangs out with them cocksucker friends of his from prison and always just ends up back inside.” Daryl grimaced and Glenn could see traces of blood on his lips from where he must have bloodied his thumb.

He reached and pulled his finger out of his mouth, pressing his hand against his forearm to keep it down, “Maybe we could help him out?”

“Naw,” Daryl shook his head, “The first time he goes out it’ll all be done an’ over with. Don’t worry ‘bout it.”

Daryl sucked in his lip and his knee startled jiggling before he opened his mouth, “You said,… you said you had a kid…” He trailed off, not actually asking a question.

Glenn removed his hand and tucked both of them between his thighs. “Yeah. My wife was pregnant at the time.”

“Wha’ happen’ to her?” Daryl had stopped all of his nervous habits and just looked at Glenn, but Glenn couldn’t look back.

“I suppose they died.” He stayed quiet for a long time, the silence between them almost oppressing, before adding, “I’ll tell you about it sometimes when you start believing me. Ask me about it then.”

Daryl just nodded, not seeming to mind that Glenn hadn’t actually answered and Glenn liked him all the more for it. Daryl had always been the one who understood more than the others. He knew some answers couldn’t be given and he never pried. He was happy with what was offered and often grateful for the amount of trust. The others too often pushed their noses in and spread secretes and in reality only a few of them were people Glenn had been able to lean on.

Unfortunately Glenn had never been one of those who were able to cut their losses and he always tried to save everyone. It posed a question of what if not everyone could be saved.

“Can I ask another hypothetical question?” Glenn leaned some of his weight against Daryl hoping he wouldn’t be pushed away because that one thing had remained the same, Daryl made him feel safe when everything else plainly sucked.

“I ain’t stoppin’ ya.” Daryl took a sip of his beer as he continued watching the TV.

“If everything went to shit and you knew where some of the relatively nice people would be, would you risk your life by going back for them even if you had a good thing going at your place?” Glenn hated how convoluted everything sounded.

Daryl tilted his head and ate a chip before wiping his hand on his pants, “I don’t rightly know. Would they do the same for me?”

“That’s the question, isn’t it?” Glenn nodded. “I don’t really know. I just keep thinking I don’t want to do this whole thing alone and I really don’t want to leave so many people to die if I could help them. But with different people come different personalities and a lot of them clash badly.”

“Yeah, well you can’t want a piece of shit then wish it to smell like roses. Ya take the good with the bad or you forget ‘bout it.” Daryl said. “I don’t know man, if it’s all life and death, I’d feel bad about not helpin’. Maybe if ya set up some rules or somethin’.”

“I’d have to be able to enforce them first, wouldn’t I?” Glenn mused.

“Shit, kid. If what you’re sayin’ is the truth, ya know I’ll back ya up, and where I go so does Merle. And nobody fucks with Merle.” Daryl nudged Glenn’s shoulder hard enough he almost toppled.

Glenn chuckled, “Thanks, man. I needed that. So we’ll think of a base and set it up first. Then think about who we’ll be letting in.”

“Sure. If ya can keep Merle sober and force me ta believe ya.” Daryl grinned.

“You’re an ass.” Glenn told him with a grin.

They watched the movie for a while when Daryl asked, “If it gets so bad, what do you suppose we should be hoardin’?”

Glenn grinned but did his best to hide it from Daryl, “Medicine, food, soaps and toilet paper. It’s a bitch when you realize there won’t be any more toilet paper.”

“Yeah. I got lost in the woods once when I was a kid. Wiped my ass with poison oak.” Daryl added and laughed at it together with Glenn.

“Yeah, we’d best avoid that.” Glenn said still grinning.

“Well, I ain’t makin’ that mistake again, trust me.” Daryl said through a laugh.

Glenn nodded, “Yeah, I was also thinking it wouldn’t be bad to finish an EMT course. What do you think? Is that something you’d be up to?”

“Man, I ain’t got any book smarts.” Daryl leaned forward as if to put distance between them.

“Well, you can try and if you finish it’s something you can work as later on to make some money. If shit happens you know how to save someone’s life. Come one, we’ll do it together and I’ll pay for it. I still have some money and in worst case I can hook up with my old crew and steal a couple of cars for parts. I didn’t want to risk going to jail now, but I’ll do it if we end up in a bind.”

Daryl turned to look at him so swiftly Glenn heard his neck pop, “You stole cars?” Daryl gave him a once over in disbelief.

“Hey, I had college fees and I had to eat, didn’t I? I’m probably a little rusty but I can still do it. Was one of the best, but the cops got too close and I didn’t want to take the risk anymore.” Glenn said with a smile.

“Shit.” Daryl said with feeling, “You’re full of surprises, kid.”

“Tell me about it,” Glenn chuckled, “So how about it? Wanna take the course with me?”

“Shit,” Daryl mumbled, “Why the hell not. Sign us up, but I don’t want no crap from ya when I fail.”

“Scout’s honor.” Glenn raised his hand.

“Shut up! When have you even been a fucking scout?” Daryl leaned and pushed him.

“What? It’s a saying. I’m allowed to use it.” Glenn stayed at the very edge of the couch laughing.

“Yeah, yeah. Shut up.” Daryl took a sip of his beer and turned back toward the TV.


	3. Chapter 3

For the next few days Glenn felt Daryl’s gaze on him often but it seemed especially hot when he walked to the bathroom without a shirt or if he bent over while they practiced. He tried not to take notice, or give it more importance than it deserved, but it was hard. Daryl mostly wore those vests or shirts without sleeves that emphasized his muscles and made him all the more attractive.

Working out also gave him more energy and Glenn was horny more often than not, but with the new course they had little time to spare and he certainly didn’t feel like driving for three hours for just the possibility of getting laid. So he worked his hand every day when he got home from work and it helped him out to survive the afternoons with sweaty, handsome Daryl flipping him over and positioning him for the best results.

Except the looks Glenn could only feel and never catch, Daryl seemed oblivious to it and it drove Glenn slowly insane. He was surprised exactly how much the walkers and Merle had influenced his original attraction to make it basically disappear. But it was probably partly due to Daryl too, because he’d only really met this Daryl months after the quarry. Up until that point he was reserved and surly and deeply hurt.

It was only on Sunday, when they were in the forest again that Glenn seemed to be able to breathe. They’d just eaten and were laying on a blanket next to each other. Daryl wasn’t even smoking, just resting with his eyes closed and a foot of space between them. “Used to do this with Merle when we was kids.”

“Laying in the forest?” Glenn asked.

“Yeah. ‘s peaceful.”

“And Merle could stay quiet?” Glenn wondered remembering the Merle he knew who never seemed to be without words.

Daryl chuckled, “Naw, not really. Just…He wasn’t so mean back then.”

“People change as the years go by.” Glenn added.

“Shit, they change ‘cause they want to. Ain’t no body forcin’ him to be a drunken’ ass.” Daryl sat up and Glenn felt bad for spoiling the moment.

“I’ve thought about your question.” Daryl said eventually.

“Yeah? Which question was that?” Glenn shifted his weight to one forearm as he sat up slightly.

“Where I would fortify myself.” Daryl hesitated for a moment, “I still like the idea of an island, but not as my first choice. I would leave that as a last resort, sort of. Ya know, someplace I’d run to if my first option was breached or whatever.”

“Why not your first choice?” Glenn wondered.

“See, I don’t know much about islands, but I know you’ve gotta have a boat if you ever wanna escape one, and then there’s tides and shit and sometimes a boat can’t really leave an island unless you have a motor and I don’t know how hard or easy it would be to maintain one without any spare parts or tools and with all the salt. I like the idea that I’d always have food and I’ll be able to catch some fish but the rest of it is too uncertain for me, so I’d leave it as a last resort.” Daryl nodded to himself.

“What about your first?”

“Was thinkin’ it might not be so bad to stay here if we can fortify it and put some shit inside first.” Daryl said tentatively.

“Here where?” Glenn asked.

Daryl motioned around them, “In these here woods. There’s a large cave I know of, not too far from a small lake. It has three entrances and we would be able to close two of them. The only thing is, it has this like wide clearing it opens up to. The clearing is blocked on all sides by cliffs and trees, but I don’t know if those can be crossed. That opening is real big though and I don’t think we would be able to close it up all the way.”

“Can we go check it out?” Glenn asked excited. A cave had never occurred to him, but then again he didn’t think he’d ever even been in a cave in his life.

“Sure. But we should pack up because we’ll go directly to the truck from there. It would take too long to walk back here.” Daryl said and right away started packing.

The hike was long and somewhat exhausting, but Glenn was slowly getting used to all the activity and he knew it would only work in his favor in the future.

The entrance was so hidden Glenn doubted he would have found it if on his own. Daryl improvised a torch and they went inside. “This is one of the easiest entrances. For this one I would make a sort of door with plants growin’ on the outer side, so when it is closed no one would know the entrance was there.”

“That’s kind of ingenious.” Glenn whispered not liking the way his voice echoed in the large open space they’d entered after the tunnel. There was very little light coming in and what there was, came from a distance.

“See those nooks at the sides?” Daryl lighted up the almost hidden alcoves all over the main hall. “I figured those could be like rooms with bits of privacy and this main hall would be where we all got together and had a fire going. Maybe a little kitchen or somethin’. The temperature here stays pretty much the same in winter and summer. So with a few people and a small fire I think we would be warm enough.”

He led the way to the back where there were nine separate sections all in various sizes. “I would put storage in one of these. Maybe grow mushrooms in another. Not sure yet.”

Further down they got to the part of a cave that was somewhat separated and required a bit of a climb to reach. There the cave divided into five other large caves tucked in the back and facing a wide opening which Glenn assumed was the one that couldn’t be closed off. “We could maybe block off this section at the top of the climb, but not this one leading to the outside.”

Daryl helped him come down then led him out into the clearing. It was rather beautiful and also separated halfway by large rocks over which a small waterfall slid down to both sides of the clearing forming two small pools with water. They looked really deep even when the waterfall didn’t seem large enough to actually fill them. Both clearings had grass and somewhat uncontrolled trees and bushes growing around, but that could be cleared.

“The waterfall dries out in the summer but the ponds stay and in winter the waterfall is real big and loud. I would continue the natural separation and leave the left side with the caves inside for the animals and the right side is where we could bathe and take water from the waterfall in the winter. Maybe grow something.” Daryl scratched at his chin. “See how tall the cliffs are around? I don’t think anything could come here except maybe bears, but we should probably check it out.”

Daryl turned and headed back with Glenn following. One of the little nooks right when he came down the incline turned out to be a narrow tunnel. Daryl led him for long enough Glenn was starting to feel claustrophobic but then it opened up into another rather large cave which had cracks in the rock above, large enough to let out light but not large enough for someone to get inside.

“This part fills with water, so maybe we could bathe here rather than outside. I don’t know. It’s dry in the summer, though.” Daryl shrugged then walked briskly until he reached a passage in the rocks where they had to take off their backpacks to squeeze through. “This is the last entrance. I don’t know how we would seal that up since it runs all the way to the top.”

“Maybe we could secure a wire mesh all the way from the top and plant some ivy to cover it up. Then just lift one side when we needed to get out and tie it up behind us. And we could put a more secure barrier on that tunnel behind us. I’m not real good with that kind of stuff, but maybe it could work.” Glenn suggested really liking the cave and the possibilities.

“It might. Come on, let’s see if we can climb to the clearing.” Daryl led him outside to what was basically just a forest again without any type of a trail or landmark.

“I could easily get lost here.” Glenn commented.

“Yeah, I kind of like it because of it. Merle and I found this when we was kids but we’ve never brought anyone else here. Don’t know if anyone knows about it.” Daryl led the way to a very steep incline where they struggled to climb and more than once Daryl caught Glenn before he slipped.

Once they reached the top they realized there was basically another cliff in front of them and one they couldn’t climb. So they circled all the way around trying to find the entrance but had no luck which was actually a good thing.

“We’ll climb down and circle until we reach that first entrance and go the other way.” Daryl said than helped Glenn get down.

They walked for what was probably an hour, trying to cut their way through to that clearing but in the end found no way to it other than going via helicopter or through the actual cave.

“I think this is the best possible hideout we could have. The only flaw I think would be getting to transportation in case we needed to escape.” Glenn said.

“Yeah. I’ve thought about it.” Daryl spat on the ground and tightened his fingers where he gripped the edge of his vest, “I figured we could hide a couple of vans, maybe trucks or something in the direction of both main entrances. It would be at least a couple of hours hike but if this was a permanent location, I would build a hide-out halfway on each side up in the trees. It would be a guard post and a place to run in an emergency.”

“How about bikes? They don’t require fuel and they’re really quiet. Could get a bunch of them and stack them around. Use them to go into town if we can get good enough with them.” Glenn mused out loud having absolutely no idea where he would get enough bikes.

“Never learned.” Daryl said then looked away as if embarrassed.

“It’s easy. We’ll work on it.” Glenn said trying not to make it more awkward for Daryl, but Daryl just grunted.

“I could see this meeting our needs really well.” Glenn gave Daryl a look, “Does this mean you’ll help me fortify it and stock it up?”

Daryl just ducked and grinned before saying, “Come on.”

The hike again took a while, but it seemed that out of nowhere the trees opened up and there was a small lake in front of them. Glenn gasped at how beautiful it actually was.

“There’s fish here.” Daryl said watching him as if waiting for another kind of reaction.

With bravery that must have come from running for his life and taking a bath where he could get one, Glenn started undressing quickly.

“What the hell are you doin’?” Daryl asked, his jaw slack.

“Come on, Daryl, live a little.” Glenn laughed as he kicked off his boots and dropped his pants, goosebumps already crawling over his exposed upper body.

“There’s somethin’ wrong with ya, kid.” Daryl shook his head.

“Aw, are you scared?” Glenn mocked before running and jumping naked into the lake.

He came out with a shout of shock. The water was fucking freezing.

Daryl was sitting on the shore laughing his ass off, “I done and told ya, ya dumbass!”

“What are you talking about? It’s not that cold!” Glenn shouted back, ignoring the way his balls were trying to crawl back into his body.

“Sure it ain’t, that’s why your teeth are chatterin’.” Daryl said through his chuckles.

“Are you scared of a little cold?” Glenn taunted.

“No. But I ain’t crazy either. Get out of there before you freeze to death. We’re hours away from a hospital.” Daryl told him.

And Glenn had to agree Daryl wasn’t wrong. So he swam back and climbed out of the water, aware of Daryl’s gaze on him. Only this time he wasn’t looking away.

“Like what you see?” Glenn teased.

Daryl first turned away, a blush climbing up his neck, but then he looked into Glenn’s eyes with a smirk, “Just wonderin’ where your dick went, is all.”

Glenn laughed and threw his shirt at him before starting to get dressed, “Shut up, asshole.”

“You’ll be wanting this.” Daryl was still smirking as he stretched out his arm with Glenn’s shirt hanging off his fingers.

“Thanks.” Glenn quickly pulled it on and sat down next to Daryl.

“Wasn’t expectin’ that.” Daryl said after a while.

“What? Me acting all crazy?” Glenn said with a grin.

“No.” Daryl hesitated, “I wasn’t expectin’ I would have so much fun with someone.”

Glenn took a moment and realized he agreed. When he’d first decided on this course he’d expected the same sourly Dixons he’d first met and he was prepared to fight for what he needed every step of the way, but instead everything seemed as easy as breathing so he said, “Me either.”

“Really?” Daryl looked at him.

“Yes.” Glenn said, then voiced his thoughts, “I wasn’t expecting you to agree to all my wants and ideas, especially not so easily, but you did. And since then everything has been going great and it’s so much easier than I could have hoped for. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

“Maybe it’ll get even better.” Daryl pulled out some grass next to his leg and threw it into the water.

Glenn just snorted, “Who are you and what have you done with the pessimist I’ve come to know and love?”

Daryl turned quickly, looking at him with his eyes wide and tongue peeking between his lips.

But Glenn refused to feel ashamed of his feelings. Life was just too short for that bullshit. So he waited Daryl out.

But Daryl turned back toward the lake after a while and obviously ignoring the elephant, said, “You’re right. I don’t really believe that. Some shit is bound to happen and ruin it all. Maybe that apocalypse of yours.”

Glenn smiled, “Probably. Or your brother will come home.”

Daryl chuckled and got up to his feet. “Come on. We have to go back if we want to reach the truck before dark.

He gave Glenn his hand to help him up and Glenn took it, really loving the ease between them. He might yet have time to change the course of the future, and this time have it go his way. After all, nothing was quite the same anymore and Glenn couldn’t say he wasn’t enjoying it.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Three weeks later and Glenn felt as if there hadn’t been a time when he wasn’t living with Daryl. They had their routine, work, course and training and Glenn was probably as fit as he’d ever been. And the chore division worked great too. Glenn cleaned and washed, went shopping, always buying with geeks in mind, and Daryl cooked and picked up after himself, focusing more on fixing what needed fixing and helping out where Glenn asked him too. He never actually said it, but Glenn preferred to think Daryl liked their little domesticity thing.

They’d just sat down to eat when the phone rang. Glenn wiped around the thing on occasion, but honestly he’d forgotten it was even there since this was the first time it had rung in weeks.

Daryl got up and then promptly dropped onto the couch with the phone against his ear. “’lo?”

He listened for a while and although Glenn heard shouting on the other side he couldn’t understand the words.

“Nothin’.” Daryl answered a supposed question, then nodded as if the other person actually saw him.

“Shut up, Merle.” He grumbled and that was already such familiar territory for Glenn he snorted then chuckled.

Suddenly Daryl sat up, “It ain’t no one!”

“I’m tellin’ ya Merle.” Daryl frowned.

Then he stood up gripping the phone, “Then ya better get out soon and come see, ‘cause I ain’t tellin’ ya nothin’.”

He was just about to hang up before he stilled then said, “I’ll be there,” and put the phone down.

Daryl sat back down at the table and was lifting his fork up to his mouth when he realized Glenn was watching him, “Merle’s coming out in two weeks. Wants me to come get ‘im.”

Glenn got back to his meal, but after a while asked, “Should I clean his room?”

Daryl chuckled, “That would freak him the fuck out.” Then paused, “Sure, why not. Just don’t throw out anything that ain’t rottin’. He’s right vicious when you mess with his stuff.”

“Alright.” Glenn nudged Daryl’s foot under the table so he looked at him, “And when you pick him up, drive him straight here. Don’t stop at any bars or anyplace he can get his hands on drugs.”

“You serious?” Daryl asked.

“Yes. I’m betting he’s sober now and we want to keep him that way.”

“Whatever. But I’m movin’ aside when he’s all pissed and shit for no reason. And believe me, he will be with no booze, drugs or pussy after a dry spell.”

Glenn thought about it, “You think he loves the three more than he loves money?”

Daryl paused, “Hard to tell. He ain’t ever had enough money not to drown in the rest of it.”

Glenn nodded then finished his meal. It was only later when Daryl was already on the couch that he asked, “Do you want to go to the store with me tomorrow? I was thinking of trying out some crossbows before I decide which one I want to buy.”

Daryl just looked at him for a while before saying, “Sure, I’ll go with ya. Better go read now, ‘cause I didn’t understand our last class for shit.”

“I’ll go check out Merle’s room and see if I need to buy anything. Maybe make a list for tomorrow.” Glenn said absentmindedly.

“You and your damn lists. I thought only women wrote so much shit down.” Daryl mumbled.

“I don’t see you complaining when I bring home a truck load of food for ten bucks.” Glenn threw at him, but Daryl just let the door of his room slam behind him in answer.

If there was one thing Glenn never expected to be doing, it was cleaning Merle Dixon’s room. What he did expect was all the porn, used condoms and rotten food. It was exactly how he’d imagined Merle to be living when his thoughts even strayed in Merle’s direction.

He had an unusual amount of guns hidden around and a few knives tucked in odd places. Glenn even found a couple of romance novels which had him in stitches. He separated all the booze and drugs he found and there was a substantial stash. The bedside table drawer he opened, then promptly closed.

Glenn probably stood there for good ten minutes before he decided he had to check for drugs and it seemed weird to ask Daryl to go through it. So he opened it again and felt freaky despite the glove on his hand as he pulled out the fleshlight, a pink vibrator, three packs of condoms and five bottles of lube in various stages of fullness. The amount of tissues and even fucking socks inside was just strange but Glenn did his best not to think about it and cleared it all out. Then moved the bedside table from the wall and pulled out all the stuff behind it.

There was only one packet of some strange pills in all that junk but Glenn removed it and added it to the growing pile. He collected the clothes around and decided to wash it all and have Daryl check the pockets because Glenn just wasn’t fucking brave enough for that.

When done, he called Daryl.

“Man, I don’t think I’ve even seen the floor in this room before.”

“Yeah, well. Perhaps it was better that way.” Glenn half joked.

Chuckling Daryl gave the whole room another glance then focused on the bedside table before looking at Glenn, “You went thought his jack off drawer, didn’t you?”

Glenn went red but nodded which had Daryl laughing like crazy.

“I don’t think you could have paid me to touch that.” Daryl said through a chuckle.

“I wore a glove.” Glenn explained dumbly.

“Even still. That shit’s nasty.” He looked at Glenn again, “What did you need from me?”

Glenn motioned toward the pile of clothes, “Could you go through the pockets, and help me sort through all the booze and drugs?”

Daryl just nodded and got to it. There wasn’t much in the clothes, but Daryl did score a hundred bucks which he pocketed with a laugh, “Bastard owes me a helluva lot more, but this will do nicely.”

When it came to the drugs, Daryl separated at least half of it into a ‘to keep’ pile, explaining, “Some of these are antibiotics and pain meds. I’ll hide them just in case we need them. This pile here is just stuff to get ya high. I might know a guy I could sell it all to. Hell, Merle probably bought it off him in the first place. And I don’t wanna throw out booze. That stuff’s expensive. How about I hide that too?”

“Fine by me if you think he won’t find it.” Glenn shrugged. “I really don’t mind drinking in general, but if what you say is true, Merle can’t control himself when drunk and we need him sober so the less temptation, the better.”

“Whatever. Ya need anything else from me?”

Glenn thought about it before asking, “Could you check the room once more for drugs? I’m not all that great with hiding places. And take a look around the house one of these days if you think there might be a stash. I’ll get on actually cleaning this room some other day.”

Daryl just waved at him from the door as he left the room. Glenn supposed it was way better than he’d expected so he couldn’t really complain. Of course that didn’t mean he wasn’t scared shitless about facing a sober Merle. The guy was almost twice his size, in appearance if not in height and weight. Despite trying to block it, Glenn still had flashbacks of the guy’s captain Hook phase and it was terrifying. In his head he kept convincing himself that he would see a different side of Merle this time round, and even if he wouldn’t end up necessarily liking him, he would at least have him at his side, watching his back.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
He did manage to clean the house eventually, and while it looked nothing like a magazine one might, it was still clean with some new furniture, a few drapes to hide them during the night because Glenn still had a phobia of turning on the light during the night and having it seen from the outside. He kept expecting the walkers to come crashing in. So he did end up pulling the drapes each night of whatever room he was in. The cupboards were full of stuff and the bathroom was rather shiny just because it could be.

Daryl respected the work Glenn did and never made any mess expecting Glenn to clean after him and even went to the store with him every once in a while, but he’d only entered the actual store once and was never willing to go through that again. He’d watched the total climbing at the register and by the end of it was so sweaty Glenn feared he was having a stroke. When the coupon time came he bit his thumb until it bled and refused to repeat the experience again.

One afternoon they’d spent trying out various crossbows and generally just having a laugh. Glenn remembered which one Daryl liked the best and when he had the time he looked for discounts for it as well as the one he’d found for himself, at the library of the next town. It wasn’t ideal, but he refused to spend money on a phone or a laptop, not to mention the internet bill. None of it was something he would be able to use in a few months. Instead he listed all the places he planned on scavenging in a few months and marked it all up on one of his maps. He even found certain books in the library he planned on borrowing indefinitely.

Both Daryl and Glenn had managed to finish their basic EMT course, something Glenn was extremely proud of and Daryl incredibly shy about and while Glenn decided to take on more classes for the EMT-I certification Daryl had declared the basic just enough for him. Instead Glenn volunteered him on a farm half an hour away a couple of days a week for the next month. In exchange the elderly couple would teach him how to ride a horse. Daryl was far from pleased but Glenn’s power of persuasion via guilt worked wonders and yesterday when Daryl came back home with a smile and a couple of bags of fresh produce any bitching had stopped. If Glenn marked that farm on his map for scavenging and for the horses, no one needed to know for now.

Today however was that day, the day when Merle came home. Daryl had taken the day off from work to go and get him since it was a four hour drive and Glenn expected them home in about half an hour. He was nervous as hell and trying to spend the excess energy, he’d been working out for the last hour, basically since he’d come home from work.

The day before he’d made some sandwiches and packed a cooler of sodas with some fruit and candy on the side for the trip home, trying to eliminate any need Daryl and Merle might have to stop somewhere along the way. But he still hadn’t decided where exactly he would be when Merle came. None of the options sounded good and his mind kept on going blank when it came to actual conversation.

Then he heard them. They were early and Glenn in his panic pushed the door to his room until there was only a crack left and dropped down on his bed.

“What the fuck happened in ‘ere, Daryl?” Merle’s voice boomed instantly pushing Glenn in a world of flashbacks.

“Ain’t nothing happened, jackass.” Daryl must have dropped the cooler somewhere because Glenn heard its distinctive sound.

“Don’t you nothin’ me, boy. I ain’t seen this house so clean since before mum went and died. Come to think of it, I don’t think it was this clean, the wall colors and the furniture was just all newer and shit.”

Glenn heard a few steps and a shift in clothes as they moved. “You went and got yourself a pussy, didn’t ya, boy? Gone a few months and the whole world must have shifted cause I never pictured ya with a girl. Always thought you was gonna find some…”

“God dammit, shut up Merle!” Daryl shouted and there was a thud.

Not willing to wait until they destroyed the whole place and left it to him to clean, Glenn walked out of his room, hands sweaty and trembling, but it had to be done.

It took a moment for Merle to see him and his jaw slacked once he did, but as always, Merle recovered quickly, “You ain’t no pussy.”

“Not as far as I’m aware of. Got the balls and everything.” Glenn said with more bravado than he actually felt.

Merle chuckled then pushed Daryl off him before standing up and coming closer, “Well, I wouldn’t have thought a slant eye to be your type Darylina, but he ain’t half bad.”

Glenn grinned, “Why thank you.”

Merle grinned back and Glenn had to admit he looked way different than he did when Glenn had known him. Cleaner, more charming and way fitter. It seemed impossible that just a few months could change that.

“Merle, meet Glenn. Glenn, this is my brother Merle.” Daryl added with hands in his pockets and watching them both carefully.

“Nice to meet ya, Chinaman.” Merle said with a smirk, and Glenn cursed inside, knowing he would be yet again stuck with that.

Still he tried, hoping this time he might actually make a difference, “I’m Korean if that makes a difference.”

Merle chuckled, “Naw, man. I like the way Chinaman sounds.”

Glenn tilted his head as if thinking about it, “Yeah, I guess your charm lets it pass rather than getting you slapped.”

Daryl chuckled, “Oh, he’s gotten slapped plenty of times, trust me.”

But Merle didn’t laugh, instead he kind of narrowed his eyes and watched Glenn before speaking, “Daryl, I do believe your girlfriend is hitting on me.”

Glenn wasn’t sure who spluttered more at that, Daryl or himself, but it was certainly the last thing he expected.

Now Merle was grinning like a loon, “Yes. I do believe I’m right.”

Finally Glenn found his voice, “No offence, but I like my men a little more faithful and a lot more sober.”

“Daryl,” Merle drawled, “Tell your girlfriend I’m plenty faithful.”

Poor Daryl looked really uncomfortable, “Yeah, he’s faithful. Usually the girls are the ones who dump him or screw around behind his back.”

“Huh,…” Glenn said, “I wasn’t expecting that. In any case, you’d have to stay sober and off the drugs to get at this,” Glenn pressed his hands down his body with way more confidence than he actually felt, “And I’d need a lot more charm and sweet talk first.”

“Demanding little bitch, aren’t ya?” Merle asked.

“Not really. I just want you sober for my future plans and right about now I’m full of offers to make that happen.” Glenn winked, “Besides, I was planning on going to one of the clubs to get rid of my virginity as soon as I found some time. I wouldn’t exactly be opposed to saving myself the trip and tasting the Dixons.”

Merle turned to Daryl, “You seriously haven’t tapped that? Wha’ wrong with ya, boy?”

“Leave him alone Merle,” Glenn said before Daryl got anymore red in the face, “We were busy and taking our time. Not everyone just jumps into bed.”

“How long have you been livin’ ‘ere? And what’s up with the arrangement if you don’t mind my askin’?” Merle turned and walked up to the fridge, only to whistle as he opened it, “Shit, I don’t think this fridge has ever seen this much food.” He reached for a beer.

“Sober, Merle.” Glenn called.

“Seriously, I can’t even have a beer?” Merle straightened without taking it and looked at him.

“If we go by my rules, you can have three a day, but we have to make a deal first.” Glenn said.

“Boy, I ain’t gonna give up beer for no pussy.” Merle snorted and reached for the beer again.

“That’s why I said that we have to make a deal first. You up to talking?” Glenn felt encouraged after the way he’d handled himself so far. It was far from any plan, but screw the plan as along as it worked.

Merle took out a soda instead and walked to the couch where he dropped and opened the can, taking a sip. “Then you best talk, ‘cause that beer I saw in there is callin’ for me.”

Daryl stayed in the kitchen watching them without comment, and Glenn took a deep decisive breath. “Daryl has been teaching me how to handle his crossbow,” Merle smirked at that but Glenn just continued, “How to survive in the wild and some hand to hand fighting. We haven’t been using guns yet and he said you were better at it anyway. That and fixing cars, so I was wondering if you would be willing to teach me. Feel free to add anything else you think might be useful for surviving out in the wild or without the resources of the modern world. I’m willing to pay you of course under the condition you stay sober, and I’ll pay you in eight months after you’ve taught me everything I need to know so you don’t get into the temptation of taking my money and getting drunk or stoned anyway.”

Merle had that calculating look Glenn was more used to from him and he watched Glenn for a long while before saying, “Ten grand.”

“Done.” Glenn thrust out his hand for a handshake.

Merle took it, but said, “Damn, should have asked for more.” Which had Daryl in stitches.

Turning toward his brother, Merle asked, “He any good for it?”

Daryl shrugged, “Gave me mine up front in cash. Plus he pays rent.”

Merle turned back to Glenn as he let go of his hand, “You pay rent for this dump, and clean too?”

Glenn nodded.

“Shiiit…” Merle drawled, “You scored big little brother, and you don’t even know it.”

Daryl nodded, “He buys food, too. Uses them coupons and shit. Never seen anythin’ like it. Goes and buys five hundred bucks worth and pays like ten bucks for it.”

“No shit?” Merle asked.

Daryl just nodded looking at Glenn this time who was starting to feel a little awkward.

“It’s just persistence. I cut a shitload of the stuff and calculate the best buys for the least amount of money.” Glenn shrugged.

“I couldn’t do it. Sitting each night and snipping with them small scissors and that ain’t even half the work done.” Daryl added his bit.

Merle watched them talking for a while before actually interrupting, “Shit, if you two ain’t fuckin’. I could cut the tension with my knife.”

Daryl snapped his mouth shut and Glenn, not liking seeing Daryl subdued answered impulsively, “Merle, I like your brother just fine. More than fine, but it takes two to tango and I’m not forcing anyone and neither will you. Leave him be.”

Merle cursed, “Fuck it. Fine. I ain’t puttin’ my nose in, but that don’t mean I’m givin’ ya forever, either. Now where’s my bike? Haven’t ridden that baby in months.” With that he walked out of the house leaving Glenn and Daryl alone in silence.

A silence which lasted, and lasted. Glenn was just about to head to his room when Daryl spoke, “Ya mean it? Ya like me?”

Glenn sighed and leaned against a wall, “Yes, Daryl. I like you. Quite a lot actually.”

Daryl bit at his thumb nail before speaking, “Then…Then why haven’t ya done nothin’?”

Glenn rubbed at his eyes, “Honestly Daryl, I wasn’t sure you would be open to it and I appreciate our friendship too much to go and screw with it. I’ve also never done anything with a man and I’m not sure how to go about it. Wasn’t a real hit with the women either. Too awkward, you know?”

Daryl nodded and whispered, “Me either.”

Glenn hesitated for a moment, stepping away from the wall, “Do you want something to happen between us?”

Daryl needed only a second to start nodding.

That was the moment Merle decided to get back inside, “See, that took no time at all. Ya just needed old Merle to help ya out.”

He circled the couch and came behind Glenn, and before Glenn could figure him out, Merle had him pressed against his body, lips against Glenn’s neck, sucking.

Glenn startled but couldn’t have stopped the moan if he’d wanted to. For what was probably just a fraction of a second he thought to himself, _’Am I really doing this?’_ , but right away he remembered the way he’d died and how short life really was. This time around he planned on using every single opportunity given to him and so it happened that just as quickly he answer to himself _’Fuck yes, I’m doing it.’_.

“Look at ‘im little brother, already moanin’ for us. Come give ‘im a kiss.” Merle rumbled next Glenn’s ear making him whimper.

Surprisingly enough that was all the invitation Daryl needed and was soon at Glenn’s front, pressing against his body, cock already hard and settling next to Glenn’s.

The kiss was tentative, nothing more than a press of his lips as he slid his hand under Glenn’s shirt and gripped his waist.

But Glenn wasn’t nearly so hesitant. He opened his mouth and stole that kiss, tasting Daryl and feeling the scratch of his beard against his smooth face.

Merle had one hand spread over Glenn’s belly, holding him firmly as he mauled his neck, but the other slid up and down the back of his thigh, occasionally squeezing his cheek. “You taste good, darlin’.”

Daryl moaned against his lips as if Merle was talking to him, but Glenn took it as agreement to Merle’s words and pushed harder, turning the kiss into something savage and wild.

He whimpered between them, loving how he wasn’t able to move more than they allowed him to. It was thrilling how he could feel Merle’s cock at the small of his back, just as hard as Daryl’s and just as persistent. Not something he ever expected he would say, but damn if he wasn’t too horny to care.

Glenn reached behind with one hand and took hold of Merle’s ass, pressing him more firmly to his own, and with the other he reached for Daryl, tucking his palm in Daryl’s jeans and spreading it over both naked cheeks.

Daryl bucked against him groaning, drowning out the sound of Merle’s hiss. Only Glenn could feel the increasing speed of both their thrusts, knowing he wasn’t far off from coming in his pants. So he broke away from Daryl’s lips and gasped, “Bedroom.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Google says EMT course can take as little as 3 weeks to finish but generally 8-11 weeks. However I found another site saying it takes a year. I’m going with the first option because it suits me and this is fiction. I don’t think it really matters since it won’t be such a big part of the story anyway.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pretty much just sex ;)

Stumbling around without letting go, Glenn was pushed against Daryl as Daryl’s back hit the closed door of a room. Their kiss broke and Glenn trailed lower, peppering Daryl’s neck with tiny, wet kisses, rubbing at the skin under his shirt with his hands, loving how hot and smooth he was, how he could feel every tense muscle.

Daryl fumbled with the door knob, and just as Merle dropped his hand lower, feeling around the bulge in Glenn’s pants, he managed to open it, almost making all three of them fall down.

It was Merle who caught the doorway with one arm and held Glenn tightly with the other while Glenn tightened his fingers against Daryl’s skin. Barely pausing to make sure they were all still on their feet, Glenn felt Merle lifting his shirt and pushing it over his head. He let go of Daryl and took another couple of steps forward where Merle led him, and suddenly he could see again and was falling down to the bed.

Glenn just managed to turn around when he felt hands on his belt and saw Merle above him, looking at him with such vivid hunger he shivered.

He didn’t know what kind of an expression he had on his face because suddenly Merle said, “Come ‘ere Daryl, help him undress.” And he moved away, pushing Daryl on top of Glenn.

Feeling as if he’d screwed something up despite wanting this, whatever it was, Glenn called, “Where are you going, Merle? Come back.”

“Right here darlin’” There was a hand in Glenn’s hair as Merle petted him so gently Glenn relaxed into the mattress and closed his eyes whispering, “Come hold me, again, please.”

And he meant it. He kind of loved Merle’s sold body, the strength as he kept him safe. Glenn never knew he was missing this closeness or that he hid in himself such a need.

“Not jumping into bed right away, huh?” Merle said saucily.

“Shut up, Merle!” Daryl snapped as he crossed the short distance to Glenn and took off his shoes.

“Need some more sweet talk?” Merle chuckled and tightened his fingers in Glenn’s hair before he was gone again.

Glenn ignored the words but opened his eyes, looking for him, only to notice he was barely a step away, taking off his clothes. He searched for Daryl’s eyes finding him looking back hungrily as he undressed him as slowly as if Glenn was a present and he was afraid to tear up the paper.

“Come on, Daryl, take them off and get naked,” Glenn grinned and hooked his leg over Daryl’s, throwing his balance off so he fell against the whole length of Glenn’s body. He then whispered, “Been watching you for weeks, please let me see you, feel you against me.”

Daryl blushed, ducked and nodded. With just a chaste kiss against Glenn’s naked chest, he was back down and pulling off Glenn’s pants and boxers at the same time.

Right then, before he was ready as was becoming the norm, Glenn was lifted up and then promptly resting against a big hard muscle that was Merle. He was hot all over, tight, and once he settled against the pillows, Glenn could feel his whole, substantial length between his cheeks.

“Can finally see how far this blush goes,” Daryl said as he trailed his fingers from Glenn’s cheek all the way to his belly button, and Glenn spread his legs in invitation, excited at his first real look of Daryl’s fit body.

And he was fit, chiseled magazine body with tanned arms and pale torso. Glenn could see the tails of old scars wrapping at his sides at a couple of places, but gave them no attention because he’d known about them before and realized staring bothered Daryl. He had very little hair while Glenn could actually feel the rug on Merle’s chest against his back. But the cock, it was flushed and standing straight in a nest of light curls and if not as big as Merle’s it was certainly comparable.

Then Daryl was on him, pressing him harder against Merle and Glenn closed his eyes and let go.  
The way their bodies moved was perfectly synchronized, the gasps and the moans made everything so much more exciting and Glenn could feel the wetness of their cocks, the way their flesh was becoming slick from sweat. He lost track of whose lips were where, and whose hands were touching him in particular places. All he could do was go with it and enjoy. He’d never before felt so overwhelmed, and as he recognized the moment from which there was no coming back, he broke his lips away from Daryl’s and turned his head all the way to the side until he found Merle’s in their very first kiss. He came with a whimper and Merle’s tongue in his mouth stealing oxygen and as Daryl pushed his cock through the come, touching his sensitive dick, Glenn wrapped his legs around his hips and tightened them until Daryl was the one moaning and coming all over his belly.

Merle didn’t wait for him to move, instead he took hold of Glenn’s hips and squeezed Glenn’s cheeks into a tighter sleeve. Just a few thrusts and a deep kiss and he was coming between them with barely a sound.

It took Daryl unwrapping Glenn’s legs from around his body for Glenn to actually move. And even then he just slid off Merle to the bed then promptly turned and lay his head against Merle’s chest and threw his leg over Merle’s thigh, trapping him. He could feel the cooling come all over his body but somehow he didn’t care enough to get up and clean them.

Daryl must have realized what was what because he tucked himself against Glenn’s back, pushing his hand in between Glenn’s belly and Merle’s side until he had a secure hold and just relaxed. It took him barely a minute until his breath deepened and he was sleeping.

“Never did take ‘im long when he was feelin’ safe.” Merle commented quietly after a while, his chest rumbling under Glenn’s ear.

“Mmmm…” Glenn mumbled not really up to words just yet.

“Good Lord, I need a smoke.” Merle said quietly, his fingers in Glenn’s hair again petting in a way Glenn had the urge to push into it like a cat.

“’s bad for you.” He mumbled instead.

Merle snorted, startling him, “So’s a lot of other things.”

“Need to be fit and strong, like now.” Glenn whispered, feeling himself falling asleep.

“Yeah?” Merle tightened his fingers’ in Glenn’s hair, waking him slightly, “Why’s that?”

“Mmmmm… Shit’s gonna happen… Want all of us to survive, not like last time.” Glenn settled better.

“I died?” Merle wondered quietly.

“Mhm…” Glenn nodded, barely aware of what he was sayin’… “Daryl had to finish you.” Then a longer moment later, “Never seen him so broken…”  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
It could have been an hour or ten minutes when Glenn startled awake. He lifted his head only to come face to face with Merle. His first reaction was to jump away, but Daryl’s was like a vise around his waist and Glenn finally realized where he was and relaxed with a blush, looking away from Merle.

But Merle easily pushed his fingers through Glenn’s hair and tightened his grip until Glenn looked at him, “That’s the second time you’ve reacted that way to me. Both times it was instinctual, when you was all surprised, ‘cause usually you don’t have a problem separatin’ me from whatever it is ya see in your head.”

Merle looked at him for a while before saying, “Wanna tell me about it?”

Glenn gazed away as much as he could, “You won’t believe me.”

Then Merle pushed him against his chest again, petting his head, “Ya might as well try me. I ain’t kickin’ ya out of my bed any time soon and I’m sure Daryl would like to know, too.”

That’s when Daryl tightened his arm and pressed a kiss between Glenn’s shoulder blades.

Glenn sighed, unsure. He wanted to tell them, explain everything and have them as partners in this, but he was also so afraid of them not believing, of him losing these relationships. His relationship with Maggie was so different, with few relaxing moments as these. They were always stealing their time together, always rushing and afraid for their life. So much of it was desperation and the need for closeness and familiarity. But then again, Daryl was familiar too, a piece of the past. And as much as he’d loved, was still in love in Maggie, he’d never been completely cold toward Daryl and that feeling had just grown. As for Merle, Glenn had no idea what was happening there.

But none of them were getting up, not even Merle. In fact he seemed to be the man in charge and was already so different from the Merle he’d know. More patient, level headed and above else, kind.

It was that change in Merle, the unexpectancy of it, that made Glenn’s mind and had him speaking, “I’d lived this life once before. Not in the same way, not at all,” He chuckled rather sadly, “I was a failed student delivering pizza to make a living. Was still doing that four, five months ago, I don’t even know how long ago now, before I woke up and everything was different. Maybe it was just a dream and I’m fucking crazy, it’s a possibility, but I’m so certain because I remember the life I’ve dreamed of more vividly than I do the one I’ve woken up in. Hell, it must all be true; I’ve found you two and before the dream I’d never heard of Daryl and Merle Dixon. It certainly would have never occurred to me go look for you guys. You know, willingly.”

Merle was still threading his fingers through Glenn’s hair, waiting him out, while Daryl just rubbed the tip of his nose against Glenn’s back where he could feel his hot breath and for the first time he realized someone had thrown a cover over them all and it was actually really comfortable being nestled like that in between the two.

He supposed it would be best to start at the beginning, but he didn’t feel like he could, no. He didn’t want to tell them everything, all the tragedy and hardship. It was enough that he’d had to live through it, all the needless death. He should just stick to the important facts, explain some of what had happened so they can avoid the bad things from the start.

Decision made, Glenn took a deep breath and started, “In less than a year now the dead will start walking the earth. And I do mean truly dead. Everyone who’d died in a certain period of time, got up with no higher brain functions, just this hunger to feed on the living. We found out later that we were all infected. You see, if you get bitten by one of these walkers you quickly get sick and sometimes in a matter of hours, die. Then you get up and you’re one of them, not alive, but hungry. We didn’t know at first that you didn’t really have to get bitten, you just had to die. It was probably what killed a lot of people in the beginning, the ignorance of every one of us being a time bomb. A heart attack and bam, you get up in the middle of the night and eat everyone else in the camp.”

Glenn paused, remembering, before he found his voice again, “Everything went down, the power, the government. The world just stopped. They tried bombing the bigger cities like Atlanta to stop the infection but it was everywhere and all that did was destroy the supplies and kill the few hiding survivors.” He wiped at his face and realized he was crying, “Sorry… Just,… so many died, God, so many.”

Glenn hid his face against Merle chest and the man pulled him closer. Even Daryl scooted forward and pressed Glenn tighter between them, kissing at his neck gently.

Neither of them said anything and after a while Glenn calmed down enough to continue, “I was alone for some time, but you start missing people and it’s never ideal not having anyone around to watch your back. So I ended up with this group at the quarry near Atlanta. They were an incompetent bunch if I want to look at it objectively. We practically camped there, unprotected and the only supplies we had was what I got us every few days that I went alone to the outskirts of Atlanta where there weren’t so many dead. It was a risk each time, but someone had to do it. They had kids.” Glenn had started petting Merle stomach sometime during the story and didn’t feel like he wanted to stop, “After a couple of weeks you two dropped in. Daryl offered to hunt so they let you stay, but Merle was mostly on drugs, or drunk. He was violent and insulting to the women. The whole story ended up with him drugged out of his mind, fighting with a cop on the roof in Atlanta. He got handcuffed to a pipe and left there with walkers trying to break down the door to get to him.”

“Where was I? ‘cause there was no way in hell I’d let them do that to my bother.” Daryl asked from behind him.

“You were hunting when the team was picked for the trip, and Merle volunteered.” Glenn smiled sadly. “We went to get him as soon as you got back, but by the time we reached the roof the next day, Merle had cut off his own hand and was gone.”

“Jesus Christ.” Merle mumbled and rubbed his hand over his face.

“We met you again months later, working for some asshole with a knife fitted to your stump. You kidnapped me and my wife, beat the shit out of me. You scared me even though you did good in the end. It got you killed.” Glenn swallowed, “I lived for a few more months. It was hard to track time almost from the beginning. One of us marked a calendar for a while, but after a point you just stop caring. There are no meetings to get to, no dates to really care for. We guessed some birthdays and stuff. You know. Anyway, we survived the cannibals, even found a safe haven for a while but the next psychopath bashed my head in with his baseball bat. That’s when I woke up.”

“Jesus.” Daryl mumbled, squeezing at Glenn harder, “It’s why you trash in your bed some nights.”

“Yeah. I have nightmares, will probably always have them, but I think we all stayed quiet during them,” He felt Daryl nodding against his back, “It’s the fear of the walkers getting you. They are attracted by sound, light and movement.”

“Explains the curtains.” Daryl said.

“I can’t help it. Little things like that decide if you live or die, so I keep doing them. It’s so hard to go to the store and see all that food and not start to just fill my bag with everything in reach. Or if a person comes too close to me, I flinch thinking it’s a walker.” Glenn paused for a moment, “I want to keep that paranoia, it will most likely save my life at some point.”

“Was all this just a way to get us on your side?” Merle asked with that false niceness Glenn recognized.

Right away he was fighting to move away from them both, the dried comes feeling disgusting and uncomfortable. Surprisingly enough neither man held him back and in no time Glenn was naked in the middle of the room watching them.

Daryl just looked surprised but understanding while Merle simply observed him.

“I wanted to get you on my side by giving you money and becoming friends. I never once entered sex into that plan.” Glenn hugged himself not caring about his nakedness, just feeling hurt.

Daryl was looking away from him, but Merle persisted, saying, “You in bed with two brothers of all things while ya have a nice little lady waitin’ for ya somewhere out there. Seems suspicious, is all.”

As if the thought never occurred to him, which it probably hadn’t, a look of shame and hurt crossed Daryl’s face and he pulled the covers tighter over his body, curled into himself and looked away.

Glenn suddenly felt weak and he crouched down to the balls of his feet, still holding himself, “You don’t understand.” He shook his head, “Maggie is as good as dead. My Maggie _is_. I’ll always love her, you get that?” He looked at Merle angrily before focusing on the floor again, “I could go to her right now and all I’ll see will be the woman I’d left in the future, my pregnant wife who’d been through hell with me and who loved me. I can’t get that back. She’ll never be _my_ Maggie, she’ll never carry my child. People are shaped by their circumstances. She was shaped by all the _shit_ life put her through, same as you Merle. You think I would have got into bed with a crazed racist junky who hurt me and tried to kill me? Even after just a few hours of knowing me you’re a completely different person.”

Then arms were around him and Glenn struggled, his sight blurred with tears. But Merle was bigger than him, stronger and soon he had him in his lap on the floor, holding him as Glenn cried.

“’m sorry, darlin’.” Glenn heard him whisper, “Had to make sure.” Merle petted his hair, “Daryl is my little brother and already he has his heart in this. Just had to make sure.”

Glenn sniffled but nodded. He did understand that. It was actually rather rare that someone put Daryl first, usually he was the last on everyone’s mind which had never been fair.

Once again Merle’s strength surprised him as Glenn found himself in the air and being carried. It was just the two steps it took to get him to the bed, but for Glenn it was still unusual and then he was next to Daryl, pulled half over him, while this time Merle snuggled behind him.

“I’m sorry you got the wrong idea.” Glenn murmured to Daryl.

“’s alright, no harm done.” Daryl slid his hand over Glenn’s arm as if comforting him in a rather awkward and hesitant way, but Glenn didn’t mind.

Eventually Glenn decided to ask a question of his own, “How come you don’t mind sharing a guy with your brother?”

Daryl puffed up, looking offended, “It ain’t like I’m touchin’ ‘im.”

Glenn heard Merle chuckle behind him, but ignored it, “Yes, but we’re still naked together in bed.”

Daryl snorted, “I’d seen him naked before. It’s not like he’s exactly shy and shit. And I don’t mind sharin’, ‘s long as ya like it. Didn’t hear ya complainin’ none.”

“How come no one’s askin’ me ‘bout it?” Merle piped in.

This time it was Glenn who snorted, “I already knew you were a pervert, this really doesn’t surprise me at all.”

Daryl chuckled and as Merle started tickling Glenn they all soon ended up a laughing mess.

Perhaps it was the power of laughter or just the general joy he felt that made Glenn courageous enough to open his mouth, but as they were laying there, breathing hard and still very much naked, he wondered, “You guys believe me?”

The silence stretched for a long while, enough for Glenn to become fidgety and nervous, all signs of laugher gone, but he couldn’t look them in the eye and see exactly what their reaction was, so he waited.

It was Merle who spoke first, “I ain’t sayin’ I don’t believe ya, but it’s a stretch even for me and I’ve seen shit. But I will say this, I’d rather be prepared for anything then have it catch me with my pants down.”

Glenn felt Daryl nodding and he let out a deep breath, “Yeah, that’s more than good enough for me. So you’ll help me with the food and the shelter?”

Daryl was nodding again, but Merle asked, “You’ve got a shelter?”

“Took ‘im to the caves where we used ta camp. Figured it’s as good a place as any and there’s plenty huntin’ to be had.” Daryl answered.

“Not bad. So what’s your plan?” Merle asked even as he slid his fingers down Glenn’s chest and belly to start playing with the patch of hair just above his cock. Talk about distracting.

“Blocking the entrances so they’re hidden. Dividing the clearing for some animals and I would like to start storing some non-perishables and hygienic products there as soon as that’s done. There’s still so much to do, but we have some time to make it work.” Glenn tried to make a list in his head.

“I’d like to make a couple of platforms up in the trees, halfway between each entrance and the nearest point we can reach by car. We would have to have some vans or somethin’ hidden in case we have ta get out of there. Maybe seal off and hide the basement here, so we can store some stuff for emergencies. Don’t know if any house here has a basement, so it wouldn’t be expected.” Daryl kissed Glenn’s shoulder.

“You’ve thought about it.” Glenn commented really pleased.

Daryl shrugged, “It’s like a puzzle, keeps me thinkin’.”

“How ‘bout we leave that for later. I can think of better things to do for now.” Merle mumbled as he shifted forward and took Glenn’s nipple in his mouth.

Glenn moved his hands swiftly, grabbing at Merle’s head, but instead of pushing him away, he pulled him closer and bowed his back to give him better access. Daryl lifted him as if he weighed nothing and once again Glenn was laying on the hard chest of one man, while the other pulled all the strings from the front.

Daryl’s hands were rough and wide, sending tingles down his spine as Daryl covered his body with them, sliding them down his sides and over his hips until he reached Glenn’s thighs and he pulled Glenn up, spreading him wide.

“That’s it little brother, show me what we’ve got to work with.” Merle mumbled and joined his hands to Daryl’s touching Glenn’s thighs holding them apart.

Glenn couldn’t stop the blush so he just closed his eyes and felt. Daryl’s mouth on the back of his neck, sucking at the skin, his hard cock smearing precome against Glenn’s butt. Merle’s breath so close to his dick he whimpered in expectation, only to get a kiss against his hip and a squeeze at his thighs.

Then a drawer was opened and a bottle cap popped before Merle ordered, “Sit up Daryl.”

Glenn’s world shifted and he was upright, still spread open, Daryl’s dick now next to his, and somehow Merle pushed his way there too, tucking his large thighs under Daryl’s.

Glenn was fascinated by the sight, two large cocks touching his significantly smaller one and hissed as Merle poured lube over them.

“Come on, darlin’, give it a go.” Merle’s rough voice grumbled and Glenn could do nothing but comply.

He reached with both hands and gripped all three of them. Merle growled and Daryl moaned, but Glenn just opened his mouth and panted. The feeling was exquisite, the tightness of it, the friction. But the sound was what did it for him the most. All the deep breaths, moans and whimpers, Merle’s continuous growl. Glenn was shivering with it, riding the edge all the while holding the silken heat between his fingers, causing such reactions.

“So good, darlin’,” Merle mumbled, trailing kisses on the edge of Glenn’s jaw as he thrust into Glenn’s fists.

“Hot.” Daryl grumbled from behind, biting another hickey into Glenn’s shoulder.

“His pussy’ll be even tighter,” Merle said wickedly, and Glenn groaned loudly at the words before giving it another pump and coming between them.

Daryl took hold of him tightly, one hand on his belly, the other gripping his thigh and Glenn quickened his movements, his hand blurring over the erect cock while Merle moved slightly away and started jerking off above Glenn’s crotch.

When they came it was to paint Glenn’s cock and belly, but at that point Glenn was just feeling blissed out and utterly happy. Now he just had to persuade one of them to carry him to the shower because he doubted his legs still worked and there was no way he was falling asleep with another layer of come sticking to his skin.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is kind of a strange chapter that just came out that way. I'm not even sure if I like it or not, but at this point it's a part of the story so here you are;)

“Hoolly shit, you weren’t kiddin’, Chinaman.” Merle shouted slapping his thighs, while Glenn just grimaced at the nickname.

That night was the first time Merle saw Glenn’s stash down in the basement. And the better word for it by now was probably a hoard.

“And ya don’t think ya have enough?” Merle asked looking at him.

Glenn snorted, “This is hardly anything, even for just us three. If we end up with more people we’ll be starving within the year. I plan on filling at least two caves out in the forest and this place just in case. At this point it’s costing me very little except time. I’m marking places to hit after the first wave is over. We’ll need some big containers and stuff like mattress toppers and camping sleeping pads, some hammocks, but we should put in some eye bolts now while we can still charge a drill. Perhaps some water containers wouldn’t be bad for gathering rain water and some purifiers. I don’t know. There’s just too much and I keep thinking of other things.”

Merle came to him and hugged him with one arm, “It’ll work out, we’ll help you. And if everything works out differently, we’ll have a safe place to hide from the cops and I can always sell all this shit at a discount to make some money.”

“Can you get us some guns and ammo? I know how to shoot but I never got real comfortable with it. I would like to learn properly. But I would really love some well-made blades. Maybe short swords or one of those big axes you see in movies. Doubt I have enough money for it, but it sure would be useful. Oh, a machete sounds really cool.”

“I might know some people.” Merle rubbed at his jaw.

But Glenn got lost in thought, “You know, there was a woman with us who was a badass with a samurai sword. Seemed easy when she did it, but I figure I would need to practice like crazy.”

“What happened to her?” Merle asked.

“Nothing. Was still alive when I last saw her. I doubt I’ll meet her again this time. It was such a stroke of luck or maybe coincidence, and I really don’t want to take the path that might lead me to her. All my decisions are like that now and I hate it. I’m dividing people in those who I’ll meet again and maybe help, and those who are just too much of a risk. I’m not even sure how to save Maggie.” Glenn said.

“One step at a time. We’ll think on it together.” Merle kissed his cheek and Glenn couldn’t help it but smile.

Glenn then turned to him, “You doing alright?”

“What’cha mean?” Merle asked.

“I know it’s only been a day since you got out, but I haven’t let you drink anything and you haven’t taken anything as far as I know.” Glenn left the thought open.

“China doll, I don’t know how messed up I must have been when ya first met me, but I ain’t never done anything hard core, just recreational. I think the booze was more of a problem, but I’d sobered up as I did my time. Don’t got no urges now.” Merle led him up the stairs then pushed him through the door and slapped his ass.

“Hey!” Glenn protested.

“Come on, you didn’t really mind tha’.” Merle grinned at him and Glenn blushed, because no, he didn’t mind it.”

“’S what I thought.” Still smirking Merle crossed the distance between them, put his hands on Glenn’s waist then kissed him gently.

“Ya like that? All gentle like,” He kissed Glenn’s cheek, grazed his nose with his, “Like me romancin’ ya?”

Glenn nodded already breathing harder, “I kind of like it every way with you two.”

Then a couple of thuds could be heard against the wall and Daryl shouting, “Don’t go startin’ anything without me or I’ll just stop this clippin’ shit and come join.”

Merle cackled, “Come on, Darylina, I just wanted a taste.”

“Shut up, Merle, and come help me.”

Merle sighed, “See what I have to put up with?”

Glenn laughed, “He’s right. We were just going to see the basement and he’s been kind enough to help. Come join us. Maybe later we’ll fool around again. I didn’t know I could be this horny.”

“It’s the Dixon charm, darlin’,” Merle said with a smirk as he followed Glenn, “Once ya get a taste, ya can never get enough.”

“’s bullshit. Plenty tried ya then had no trouble leavin’.” Daryl snorted as they entered Glenn’s room. He now had a table there pushed against a wall and shelves filled with coupons waiting to be cut.

“They just couldn’t handle all this.” Merle grabbed at his crotch and squeezed lightly.

Glenn snorted and pushed Merle into a chair next to his bed and gave him a stack and the scissors he’d been handling before their break.

“Yeah, I’m sure that was it.” Daryl shook his head.

Unable to resist and kind of feeling a bit nervous about it, Glenn asked, “You think I’ll be able to handle it?”

That had both of the brothers snapping their gaze at him and Merle actually answering, or rather just responding, “Aww, ya afraid it won’t fit?”

Glenn blushed and ducked, “Shut up, Merle.”

Daryl leaned forward and touched his reddened cheeks with his fingertips while Merle ignored Glenn’s words and said, “We’ll stretch ya real good, darlin’, make ya drip and squirm for us. Add as many fingers as ya might need until you’re begging for our dicks. Trust me, it’ll be to our mutual pleasure.”

That didn’t help Glenn’s blush at all, but he noticed Daryl wasn’t faring much better and thought to ask, “Have you done this before, Daryl?”

Merle chuckled, “Old Daryl here is as much of a blushin’ virgin as you are. He always took more kindly to a thick dick than a wet pussy and our old pa didn’t much care for no fags. I guess he never went about fixin’ his little problem once the old man died. Not that I blame ‘im.”

Daryl wasn’t touching him any longer and his eyes were directed firmly away.

“Hey, hey,” Glenn reached for him and took his face between his palms. “I don’t mind, we’ll learn together.” Glenn chuckled as wide, vulnerable eyes looked at him, “We’ve got Merle to help us out. Lucky for us he’s not ashamed of saying anything and hardly controls himself when it comes to doing. We’ll do fine.”

Daryl just nodded, then after a brief hesitation, closed the distance between them and left a peck against Glenn’s lips.

“So many things to try out, I’m positively giddy with it.” Merle laughed to himself and Glenn was surprisingly okay with that.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
The next few days were nothing like that first. Daryl and Glenn still had their work and Merle was off trying to find a job most mornings. Glenn held to his routine of cleaning and studying when he got home and Daryl now made lunch for three. The few hours in the afternoon were spent teaching Glenn various things and then Glenn was off to his classes. When back, he dealt with his coupons as much as he could before crawling into bed only to wake up between two bodies in the morning and having to leave them with great difficulty.

Touches were there, as was the teasing, persistent and frequent, but there really wasn’t any time in the day for more than that.

By Friday Merle had a job in construction starting Monday and Saturday, early in the morning, Glenn was up as usual before realizing it was actually the weekend and he didn’t have to go to work. With great joy he crawled back between the covers and kissed Daryl’s shoulder getting a “’S too early, sleep.”

Doing his best not to laugh, he turned toward Merle who was sleeping on his back, and feeling adventurous, he scooted under the covers until he was next to Merle’s hips. He slowly took out Merle’s soft cock out of his boxers and felt it, noticing the differences to the one he was more used to.

He was scared but determined and figured there was no better way of trying it than with Merle soft. No way could he fit it all in his mouth otherwise. So he started slowly, licking at the tip and finding the taste slightly more bitter than his own. He took the head in his mouth and suckled gently and discovered he rather liked the musty smell of Merle’s crotch, the clean sweat and the tickle of curly hair. He took more of it in, loving the taste and softness of the not yet awake flesh. He touched Merle’s balls all tentative like, feeling the coarse hair and wrinkly skin under his fingertips, but he was eager to explore and all of it was just new, exciting.

The cock started to firm up slightly and Glenn took a deep breath and lowered himself down, letting it slowly fill up his whole mouth. It was already at his throat, teasing, but Glenn did his best to ignore it, instead he suckled some more, then pulled off until only the head was between his lips and he could taste the precome. Another descent and the cock was bigger yet and there were suddenly fingers in his hair, treading gently and Merle made an aborted thrust with his hips. The thrill of it had Glenn’s cock tenting his boxers but he ignored it, loving the excitement and the heat in his belly burning steadily.

He swallowed the saliva, feeling the cock in his mouth twitch and harden some more before he was lifting, sucking the head and going down again. It was a dance of taste, want and that excited edge of fear – when will it be too much, will he choke, can he handle it… But oh, how he wanted to.

So Glenn sucked, almost coming at the weight of Merle’s fully hard cock on his tongue, but instead he took hold of the base with his fingers and quickened his motions, the sucking so loud in his ears he was sure Daryl’ was awake by now too.

Then the moment came when Glenn lunged too far and Merle’s thrust was just slightly too strong and the cock hit the back of Glenn’s throat making him choke. Only instead of just pure panic, what Glenn felt was a sense of thrill and that edge of an orgasm he’d been riding spilt over and he was coming, chocking on Merle’s dick and not wanting to get off, not being able to.

Then both of Merle’s hands were in his hair and he was lifted off, the covers thrown off him. Merle took hold of Glenn’s hand, wrapping it around Merle’s cock and he was kissing him, hungrily, savagely. Glenn didn’t hesitate, pumping him as if his lips were still wrapped around the hardness and barely a few jerks later Merle was coming.

Afterwards Merle pulled him on top of himself, not caring about the come as he usually didn’t. He had one hand on Glenn’s ass and the other in his hair while Glenn tucked himself on Merle’s shoulder, close enough Merle’s stubble kept scraping against the tip of his nose.

“Great way to wake up, darlin’.” Merle whispered through a hum.

“I realized I didn’t have to go to work this morning.” Glenn said absentmindedly, still enjoying the afterglow.

“Mmmm… Ya liked chokin’ on my dick, darlin’?” Merle tilted his head and licked Glenn’s lips before settling back down.

It took a moment for the words to penetrate Glenn’s clouded mind and then he could feel his face heating up and his words kind of abandoning ship.

“That’s alright, darlin’, we’ll work on it, you and I, have Daryl help ya out for a start. He’s a bit smaller, not as rough. He’ll fit nicely in the back of your throat, right here,” Merle slid his hand from Glenn’s hair and wrapped it gently around his neck, caressing, “You’ll learn how to swallow around him, make it tight and warm for ‘im, so he can push it all the way in,” Merle tightened his hand a little, “make ya choke and hold it, then he will ease out of ya, make ya taste him on your tongue,” And he relaxed his hand again.

“Ya like that, darlin’?” Merle asked and Glenn realized he’d been thrusting his stiff cock against Merle’s hip as he talked, already so hard just from dirty words. “Yeah, ya like it.” Merle chuckled.

“How ‘bout ya try again, darlin’? Get your sweet lips around my little brother’s cock, hold it in until it chokes ya, nice and proper, until ya come again with just a hard dick plugging you up.” Merle whispered, leaning until his lips were against Glenn’s ear and he was licking the earlobe, from the bottom to the top of the shell.

Glenn moaned so dirtily he seriously doubted it would take as much as a cock in his throat for him to come. But Merle was already pushing him and calling “Daryl!”

Daryl moved to his back, one eye open to look at Merle before throwing his arm over his eyes and mumbling “’m sleepin’, Merle.”

Finding it funny, but too horny to laugh, Glenn moved to Daryl’s hips and easily freed him from the confines of his boxers. Only Daryl wasn’t as unaware as Merle had been and he was already sitting up, blinking in the faint light of the dawn, and trying to figure out what was happening.

“Get back down, Daryl, let ‘im practice.” Merle said and pushed Daryl back onto his pillow while Glenn threw one of his legs over Daryl’s and in between them.

Glenn was sure Daryl had no idea what Merle had just told him, but didn’t have the brain capacity currently to care. Instead he wrapped his lips around Daryl’s half hard cock and went at it.

Only this time he wasn’t as alone as he’d been before. No. This time Merle was right there next to him, close enough he could feel his breath on his cheek, and he had one of his large arms pressed against Daryl’s hips, just above his cock so Glenn could feel his arms hairs tickling his face each time he swallowed Daryl’s cock.

Merle’s other hand was in Glenn’s hair, encouraging him to take more each time he went down, “That’s it, darlin’, look at ya swallowin’ him.”

Glenn was just aware at that point to keep watch of his teeth and to whine each time the tip of his dripping cock hit Daryl’s shin. He thought he heard Daryl moaning somewhere far in the distance but that could have easily been his imagination.

“Just a bit more, darlin’.” Merle said as he pressed against his head and Glenn took another inch.

Only that inch seemed to be doing wonders for Daryl, because he suddenly grew, both in thickness and in length, and with Merle’s pressure, that one inch became two and Glenn was chocking.

Merle let him up slightly, “Easy now, take a breath through your nose. You can take all of him now, darlin’. Ya ready?”

But Merle didn’t wait for an answer not that Glenn could have given him one. With tears sliding down his cheeks, Glenn was once more pushed down, swallowing until Daryl’s dick hit his throat. Only Merle pushed a little further and it slid lower until Glenn was properly chocking on it and coming against Daryl’s leg and Daryl was roaring and jerking in an upward thrust despite Merle’s hold on him and pushing all the way in Glenn’s throat as he came.

And Glenn… Well, Glenn had passed out somewhere along there.

When he came to, Glenn was spread out on the bed, feeling like a limp noodle and blissed out of his mind. He had to squint against the light and was just about to ask when had it become daylight before he realized the ceiling light was actually turned on.

“Are ya feelin’ alright, baby? Can ya breathe?” Daryl was touching his cheek and looking as if he was fretting or something, next to him.

“Feelin’ so great… Mmmm…tasted so good… God, that was awesome…” Glenn mumbled, his throat feeling scratchy and once he realized why that was he was hot all over again.

“Stop your panickin’, Daryl, the boy’s fine. Just fucked out of his mind.” Merle said from somewhere.

“Oh yeah, I am.” Glenn grinned feeling he had to say that and stretched further on the bed until his toes were pointed and he could reach the edge of the bed with one of his hands. The other he stretched above his head, gripping the headboard cause Daryl was in the way.

“You left me alone, Merle?” Glenn yelled, probably too loudly.

“Ya ain’t alone ya little punk. Daryl’s watching over ya, like a mother hen.” Merle said, only Glenn still didn’t see him.

But then, Daryl really was there, “Hey, Daryl. Loved your cock on my tongue.”

Daryl went red but that was alright, because Glenn really liked every version of Daryl and he thought he could hear snickering somewhere, but Daryl only had a little smile on his face so Glenn put it out of his mind. Instead he reached for Daryl with his uncoordinated hand and only gripped his peck before saying, “How about you come over here and kiss me you handsome man, you….”

Daryl may have blushed harder, but then his lips were against Glenn’s and Glenn couldn’t have cared less. He sucked and nipped lazily, licking at Daryl’s tongue but letting him lead until the light was somehow off again and there was another weight pushing him to his side and heating his exposed back. Glenn just went with the flow, enjoying his kisses and then, eventually, he wasn’t really aware anymore.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Waking up was as sweet as going to bed after a long and exhausting day. Glenn popped his head above the pillows, looking around, but he was alone under the covers and he didn’t remember that happening ever before since they’d started sharing the bed.

Feeling so happy he couldn’t stop grinning, Glenn wrapped the sheet around his body to preserve some of the heat and stumbled out of the bed, almost falling on his face twice before he reached the door. There he pulled the sheet above his feet so as not to step on it again and walked out into the hallway.

He doubted he was real quiet in his stumbling but as he reached the kitchen Daryl was cooking something fully dressed with his back toward Glenn not even turning to say hello. So Glenn walked toward him, unwrapped one arm from the sheet and tucked it around Daryl’s waist as he pressed his lips against the man’s neck, “Missed you in bed when I woke up.”

“Was getting late. Ya needed your rest.” Daryl mumbled.

“Mmmm…” Glenn continued kissing until the front door banged behind him and he startled enough to turn.

“Well, I leave for five minutes and you kids are already neckin’ like teenagers.” Merle said with a grin.

Glenn grinned back, leaning his cheek against Daryl’s shoulder blade as he continued to hold him so he could see Merle, “Woke up alone and missed you two.”

“Guess we tired you out this mornin’ so you slept longer. Had to prepare for the trip today.” Merle crossed the distance between them and pressed a gentle kiss against Glenn’s lips.

“That was spectacular. Wish I could wake and fall asleep like that every day.” Glenn said somewhat dreamily, but he couldn’t really explain with mere words exactly how floaty and amazing it was, to came so hard and feel so out of control he was overwhelmingly horny. No fucking words.

“Really?” Daryl suddenly asked, making Glenn turn to look at him over his shoulder.

“Of course. I loved it. Didn’t you?” Glenn felt uncertain all of a sudden and he couldn’t say he liked it.

“Never came so hard in my life. But you weren’t wakin’ up right away, and later you fell asleep in the middle of kissin’.” Daryl looked at him all concerned and panicked.

Glenn waved the concern away, feeling lighter now that he knew what the problem was, “I came so hard I passed out. If anything I would take that as a compliment because that has never happened to me. It could be partially due to the lack of air, but I wasn’t without air for that long or anything, I think it was just the mix of various kinds of excitement. Trust me, it felt amazing. As for falling asleep, Daryl, it was what, five, six in the morning and I’d just had two mind-blowing orgasms. I think it’s natural to fall asleep after that. Alright?”

Daryl looked at him for a bit longer before nodding and Glenn smiled at him, then kissed him sweetly just because he could.

“Told ya you were worryin’ for nothin’. Now let’s eat and head out. We’ve only got two days to start fixin’ things up and maybe throw in some sex in there while we’re at it.” Merle winked at them as he dropped down into the chair.

Glenn was about to go and get dressed, but Merle pulled him into his lap and somehow they stayed that way all through breakfast chatting casually. 

Half an hour later, Glenn had taken a shower, gotten dressed and joined them in the truck. The bed was filled with things Glenn wasn’t informed about, but he was sitting between his two lovers so he honestly didn’t care. Instead he listened to the music as their chatter washed over him and he wished to never wake up from this happy bubble.

Half an hour into the ride Merle broke the silence, “How come we ain’t makin’ a fort somewhere with actual walls and shit?”

Glenn leaned his head back as he watched at the road ahead, “I’ve thought about it. Maybe I would have went for it too if I had enough people and money. With enough cash and a year of a head start, I could fortify it better than anything I’ve seen in the future. But, as it is, I’ve sold everything I’ve owned and taught myself to save every cent just so I would be able to stock pile enough food and other supplies. Building material, enough guns, medicine and self-sustainable equipment cost way too much and require man power which I just don’t have.” Glenn turned to look at Merle, “You’re my lovers now, and care for me up to a point, and still a part of you is probably thinking this whole thing insane and are just indulging me. Imagine how it would have went if I’d gone to people who’d lived in that future with me and started talking about the walking dead? I probably would have been institutionalized by now.”

“Can’t really argue there.” Merle rubbed at his chin.

Glenn chuckled. “Yeah. But there’s another reason. As survivors, we’d made a couple of strong holds, and encountered a few more. But each one of them, no matter how safe it appeared, eventually got overrun. To be fair, most of it involved some kind of input from those still living, but all of them fell. Once only a few people infiltrated and caused death, other time there was an actual tank involved. It just seems safer to hide from the beginning. If no one knows you’re there, they have no reason to look for you.”

“You ain’t thinking of repopulating, are ya?” Merle wondered, squeezing Glenn’s thigh.

“Honestly, I don’t know. I figure the cave can easily house some thirty people. It probably could take in more and be comfortable. But in the future, thirty survivors will be a lot, and we probably won’t have those kind of numbers. Surviving to our old age is highly unlikely, and while I’m stocking for children in mind as well, I’m not looking decades ahead, no. I would love to get in touch with some people ahead of time, at least leave some kind of a message, but most of them I have no way of finding and at this moment in time no one will believe me anyway.” Glenn sighed, “Still, it feels wrong to plan for just the three of us, so I’m stocking up.”

Daryl smiled at him and squeezed his other thigh.

“Now it ain’t like I’m aiming for some competition, but it seems a shame not to try and save your wife. She was family.” Merle said after some time.

“I know. I just don’t know how. The last time they only left the farm because we were forced to by a hoard. Almost got us all killed and some even died. At the beginning they’d been sheltered, and still believed the bitten could be cured. That was a hard lesson for them….” Glenn trailed off.

“We can always go get them after a while.” Daryl said.

“We could. But we plan on having animals at the cave before the end, and someone will have to stay with them. That leaves only two of us who could go and I’m not alright with that.” Glenn answered right away.

“What you’re sayin’ is we need more people.” Merle concluded.

“Yes. And I might have a few in mind. But that’s another logistical nightmare. I’ll have to get to them after the dead start walking. Then I’ll have to convince them to come with me and somehow exclude all the bad apples.” Glenn thought on it, “Maybe then I could select a few of them and head for the farm. At least to leave a message if nothing else while one of you take the rest of them to the cave. Or just wait at the quarry until I come back.”

Glenn looked at them both, then, “You see my problem? I just don’t have any idea how to go about it without getting anyone killed, especially the three of us. Any kind of moving in the beginning is a risk. There’ll be too many walkers in all the places we’ll need the most, and too many yet living to stop us or just rob us.”

“I’ve got nobody I’d trust to have our back.” Merle grunted.

“’Course. Ya only know drug dealers and trash.” Daryl sniped.

“Ain’t like your friends are better. Ya have any yet?” Merle snapped back.

Daryl turned and spat, “’course not, you and pa made sure the fag Dixon would never have anyone else but you, didn’t ya?”

Glenn gave them both a quick, reproachful look before saying, “Hey! No! You stop that! What’s wrong with you?”

Daryl bit his lips so hard they turned white and gripped the wheel tight enough it squeaked but didn’t say anything.

“Stop the truck.” Glenn said, but Daryl showed no sign he actually planned on doing so. 

But by then Glenn was already lost in his on head, remembering overheard conversations and deadly fall outs and he hit the dashboard with his palm shouting, “Stop the fucking truck right now!”

As soon as he pulled over Glenn pushed Merle until he moved and was outside in the air. He paced on the grass beside the road with his heart rushing. That was such a fucking Lori moment and he couldn’t deal with that. There was no room in his life for a Rick tragedy, and if Daryl’s issues had anything to do with what was happening between them he was stopping everything right this minute. It was so fucking unfair that he was as happy as he’d ever been and now everything was crashing around him.

He dropped to his knees as his breathing got too fast and suddenly there was not enough air even outside. He groped at his throat as panic slowly consumed him, but then there were arms around him again and Merle was speaking. They kept telling him to breathe as if he wasn’t trying.

Glenn felt a hand against his chest, pressing hard and insistent counting, someone was breathing so loudly next to him, and slowly Glenn started listening to it, to the numbers. He focused on the strong hand holding him, the scent of the forest and leather the Dixon brothers had in common, and sure enough, after a while, he got back to himself.

Merle relaxed his hold but still kept his hands on him, and Daryl leaned closer. They sat there, by the side of the road in the grass, for a while, and eventually Glenn started talking, “There was this couple at the quarry when I first found my way there. He was a cop, she a housewife and they had a kid, Carl. Of course eventually I realized, or heard, I don’t really remember, that he, Shane, was the best friend of Lori’s husband and Carl’s father. The thing was, they were fucking. One of those secrets everyone’s in on, you know? It seemed awfully quick assuming the husband had died there at the end but generally I didn’t give it much thought. Wasn’t my business. Only a few weeks later, by chance, we found her husband in Atlanta. Turns out he was in a coma for months before the dead started walking, and eventually woke up alone in the hospital. You might not think it, but both Lori and Shane were happy Rick was alive. Only suddenly Shane was Lori’s number one enemy and her and Rick were happily married once again. Rick really didn’t have time to react if he’d noticed something between them. Pretty much from that point on we were on the run and no one cared. Well, no one except Lori. She always seem to find a moment to push at Shane. We were on a farm when Shane snapped. You see, Lori was pregnant, and although Rick pretended he didn’t know, all three of them were aware the baby was Shane’s. But by that time Shane probably didn’t see a way out. He lost his best friend, the woman he loved, the kid he thought of as his own and now the baby that actually was his. He tried to kill Rick and died instead. Lori and Rick didn’t speak much after. I wouldn’t call it hate but it might as well have been. Rick had killed his best friend, Lori was carrying Shane’s child and we were running for our life. She died in childbirth and Rick kind of broke for a while after that. I won’t ever let myself be another Rick, Daryl. So whatever you have to say, you come right out and say it. No secrets of that kind or we’re done. Right now.”

“Darlin’ us fightin’ isn’t ‘bout ya.” Merle started but Glenn cut him right off with a harsh, “Merle.”

“We always fight.” Started Daryl, but once again Glenn butted in, “Not like that you don’t. That was personal and hurtful and if it’s about me I’m stepping right out of it. I won’t come between two brothers, not to mention how these things can fuck everything up in a normal world. Imagine how it will grow when everything turns to shit?”

“I wasn’t…” Daryl trailed off and started biting at his thumb.

“Tell me what’s wrong.” Glenn bumped Daryl’s shoulder with his.

Daryl lifted his knees and wrapped his arms around them, his thumb still at the corner of his mouth. “Wasn’t ‘bout Merle. Like him with us ‘cause if I screw up he can always talk us out if it. Done it before with other stuff.”

Glenn just waited him out.

“You’s talkin’ ‘bout the future and how we’ve got no chance and it got me thinkin’.” Daryl was looking off into the distance and his words were barely heard, “See, I’m happy. Don’t think I’ve ever felt like I could want for nothin’ before and soon we all might die. It ain’t fair.”

“So you’re snapping at Merle because you’re afraid?” Glenn was looking at him with his eyebrows raised.

Daryl quickly turned with a scowl, “I ain’t scared.”

But Glenn just kept on looking at him until Daryl turned away once more, “I ain’t scared. Just… I want ta fix this. Have somethin’ that I really want.” Daryl’ breathing hitched, “Merle’s me big brother. Should be able to fix it now tha’ he’s sober…”

The words might have stopped but everything Daryl was feeling was written right there in his twisted expression and the tears he wasn’t able to stop. Right away Glenn was there hugging him and Merle had come from the other side to wrap his big arms around them both.

“Merle’s here now and whatever future is waiting for us, that’s a ways off still. We’ll make it work. We can fight and live off nature and best of all is, we know what’s coming. We have each other’s back. So as long everything is good between us, we can fight anything. Okay?” Glenn asked whispering in Daryl’s ear.

Daryl’s nod was an abrupt almost violent thing as he buried his face in his knees.

“I ain’t gonna let notin’ happen to us, little brother. Nothin’ can kill a Dixon but a Dixon. So don’t ya worry ‘bout nothin’.” Merle growled, his hug tight.

There really wasn’t much else to be said at that point. They just sat there for a long time, comforting Daryl, and Glenn was perfectly okay with that.


	6. Chapter 6

They reached the forest later than they’d intended, but all of them were in a good mood and really, that was more important.

“Need help, darlin’?” Merle asked as Glenn dragged his backpack from the truck bed and lost his balance for a second when he threw it on his back.

Glenn flushed slightly but said with a scowl, “No thanks.”

Daryl just chuckled and came from behind Glenn to set his backpack better over his shoulders. Glenn startled so badly he almost fell on his face.

“Hey!”

“Just makin’ sure you’re all set.” Daryl grinned.

Glenn frowned then started walking into the forest.

“You’re goin’ the wrong way, darlin’.” Merle called after him making him stop in his tracks.

Daryl was chuckling as Glenn came back and crossed his arms watching them.

“Come on, grab some things.” Merle told him while pulling out a wheelbarrow that was turned upside down in the truck and started loading it with lumber and tools.

Daryl hefted a large bag over his shoulder, gave Glenn a few bags and made sure to lock his truck before they were off.

Their hike seemed to last longer and by the time they reached the cave Glenn was exhausted and breathing hard.

“I can’t believe just carrying few extra things makes such a difference.” He grumbled as both Merle and Daryl didn’t show any difference despite their load.

“Just means we need to toughen you up some more.” Daryl commented and Glenn felt sorry for saying anything at all. His schedule was overwhelming as it was.

“Come on ladies, we’ve got work to do.” Merle called from the front where he was already turning on a flashlight and putting it between his teeth. He picked up the wheelbarrow handles again and walked through the half hidden entrance to the cave.

It was the first one Daryl had showed him the last time and while now Glenn had less trouble noticing it, it still seemed well hidden to him. As he neared it he looked at the height and width, realizing they could actually carry in everything they might need through there and it was still manageable enough for the door Daryl had planned.

Inside Merle was already setting his things down and as Daryl started unpacking his tools, Glenn realized they’d come prepared for most of the things they’d talked about.

“I’m gonna go check out the rest of the cave. We don’t wanna trap a bear in here or somethin’.” Merle told them after he was done and walked away with his flashlight.

Daryl had set up a couple of camping lanterns around and the visibility was rather good allowing Glenn to notice the nooks around the main cave were actually deeper than he’d remembered and he’d probably underestimated the number of people who could settle in there.

“We could hang solar lanterns around here. Have to remember to put those on the list.” Glenn said as he looked around. They would need to be taken outside every day, but Glenn still liked the idea.

“Knew a guy who hooked himself up one of those bio toilets or somethin’. Made gas and electricity with it ‘cause he kept animals. Seen it once but not sure how it works. Just seems better than goin’ outside with a shovel every day.” Daryl mentioned.

“Think we could hook it up here?” Glenn wondered excited about the idea. It would solve the waste issues that had been bugging him.

“Dunno. Never put one in myself.” Daryl shrugged.

“No animals around. We can get to work.” Merle came back and the two of them started measuring and sawing right away while Glenn watched. He wasn’t really good with stuff like that, but he figured he could learn.

It took hours for them to measure and actually install a door with large hinges. First they built a frame on the inside and sealed everything using spray foam and concrete anchors. Then they added some foam insulation on the inside part of the door. The thing already looked heavy, but they also added some kind of a tarp thing on the outside part of it to which they fastened some green dyed grain sacks. They formed pockets with it and started filling it with soil.

Glenn noticed there was no actual door knob on the outside of it and asked, “We won’t be able to get in from the outside?”

“This one is the largest entrance. We want it to able to open only from the inside. We’ll put two large door bolts here to hold it. The other entrance will be different.” Daryl explained.

Merle was the one to actually go outside and come back after a while with a bunch of ivy and ferns in his hands. They planted it all in the sacs and watered it. Even with the plants still small, it looked like they’d pulled half a forest inside the cave once the door was open. Glenn doubted anyone would be able to find the door with them closed.

“Looks amazing, guys.” Glenn told them honestly.

Both guys grinned then picked up their tools and headed to the other cave with the ceiling cracks.

“This entrance don’t need much of a sound insolation. If you’re screamin’ in ‘ere someone is bound to hear ya, door or no door. We’re just gonna seal it so no one can get inside without us knowin’ ‘bout it.”

Merle boosted Daryl up with his joined palms and then somehow Daryl seemed to climb him like a wall and suddenly he was standing on Merle shoulders keeping balance like a fucking acrobat.

Glenn’s jaw was slack as Merle said, “Go on, darlin’ give ‘im that drill.”

Glenn rushed to obey and lifted it as high as he could so Daryl only had to bend a little.

The sound of the drill was deafening in the echoing cave, but Glenn didn’t even bother to cover his ears. He was fascinated.

Once done, Daryl lowered the drill and started pulling out some strange bolts. He hammered them partially into the rock all around the entrance with Merle moving as needed and then said, “Give me that mesh, kid.”

Glenn once again hurried to obey and unrolled the mesh giving Daryl one end of it while the rest hung in between him, Merle and the entrance.

Daryl hooked it up on the sticking bolts then over it he pressed some kind of metal plates with an extended section that had a hole through them. He screwed everything tighter and then Merle helped him get down. They repeated the whole thing on one side of the entrance but while they did drill on the other side, they didn’t secure the bolts to the mesh. They left it flexible so one could turn the whole mesh aside and get out.

Next they climbed again and secured another tarp and more grain sacks with pockets on the outside, this time with zip ties and planted ferns and ivy.

“Could maybe buy a soundproofing mat sheet and attach that too to block out some light and sound.” Merle said as they stood back and took in the finished project.

“You gonna make some kind of a lock so it can’t be opened?” Glenn asked not really knowing what Merle was talking about.

Daryl nodded and they got right to it, fastening some kind of hooks to the bolts in the wall where the mesh was moveable and hooked them up to the mesh. Merle pushed his fingers through the wire and pulled hard but the thing barely moved as secure as it was.

“I figure anyone leaving can just reach in and hook two of these in the middle on their way out. It’s easy to unhook them when they come back,” Daryl got out and did just that. “But when everyone is inside we hook all of them and nothing can come through.”

Glenn just nodded loving how they actually thought it all through and made it happen. “Wanna walk in with me again? So we can see what else can be done?”

The guys just grinned at him and put down their tools. Merle pinched his ass, making him stumble forward and suddenly Glenn figured they had other things in mind, so he ran.

He bumped his elbow on a protruding rock yelling, ‘ow’ but he continued running until he found himself in the clearing with the waterfall and two Dixons circling him as if he were prey.

Daryl was the one who moved first, so unexpectedly Glenn tripped trying to run away, but then Merle was there wrapping his arms around Glenn’s waist and lifting him up in the air before he lowered him down into the grass.

“It’s not fair! I can’t outrun two hunters.” Glenn complained laughing.

“Dunno why ya even tried, darlin’,” Merle told him gruffly.

“Just makes us wanna catch ya more.” Daryl added and Glenn turned his attention to him and the way he way taking off his clothes and spreading them on the ground beside them.

“What are you doing?” Glenn asked but no one answered, instead Merle pulled off Glenn’s shirt and gave it to Daryl, then his pants and in no time Glenn was in the air again and deposited on the pile of clothes.

But Glenn couldn’t have said he was bothered about it. There was something extremely sexy about being so easily lifted and manhandled, the way they wrapped themselves around him and on occasion did with him as they pleased. Glenn felt he was horny most of the time because of it and he certainly didn’t hate neither the actions nor their consequences.

Merle didn’t hesitate to get rid of his own clothes and Glenn watched him even as Daryl fitted himself on Glenn’s left, heating up his body. The years hadn’t been kind to Merle and his body showed it. From the gray hair to the scars and wrinkles, but there was a strength to him that appealed to Glenn and just made him all the more intriguing. He was handsome in a gruff sort of way, but for Glenn, Merle’s air of confidence and the way he held himself were the true attraction.

With Daryl it was different. He still had some of his youth, his skin hugged his muscles and the greys hadn’t made an appearance. He was hot, plain and simple but utterly unaware of his own appeal. With him there was rarely any confidence but rather just the sometimes overwhelming shyness and that was really endearing in most situations. It made Glenn want to hug him and protect him and most of the time it just meant they cuddled like crazy because they both felt the need for it.

Daryl took that moment of Glenn’s distraction to latch onto his nipple eliciting a wanton moan and the bowing of Glenn’s back. Then Merle was there, catching onto the other and Glenn wrapped his arms around their heads hugging them closer, “God, you’re amazing.”

Merle moved lower, his stubble rough against Glenn’s sensitive skin, but he kind of loved it, enjoyed that edge of pain the two of them exceled at.

Daryl let go of his nipple, “Taste so sweet.” He mumbled and moved up, kissing over Glenn’s clavicle, sucking on his shoulder.

“Didn’t know it could be like this,” Glenn gasped, pushing the fingers of both his hands into Daryl’s hair, indecisive if he should push him away or hug him closer.

Merle worked a hickey under Glenn’s bellybutton, his large hands framing Glenn’s hips. The cool breeze played over Glenn’s wet skin, his nipples erects and aching when Merle traced Glenn’s hard cock with his stubble covered chin, drawing out a whimper.

“Want my mouth on ya, darlin’?” Merle asked wickedly, “Bet I could fit ya without even tryin’.”

The jab couldn’t have affected him less as Glenn thrust him his hips upward, actually loving the size difference. Then Merle followed his words, swallowing him down as if he were a popsicle and it was fucking amazing.

Glenn shouted, instinctively trying to bend his torso, protect his middle from stimulation, but Daryl was there, his hand around Glenn’s throat, gentle but restrictive, his lips on Glenn’s cheek and his hard cock against Glenn’s hip.

Suddenly Merle took hold of Glenn’s thighs, just beneath his knees and pushed his legs as far up as they could go. Glenn yelped then, as Merle sucked in his balls none to gently, he screamed only for Daryl to swallow the sound with an unrelenting kiss.

Glenn came untouched, streaks of white covering his belly, but Merle paid it no mind, instead he rubbed his stubble against his taint, making the skin all the more sensitive.

Daryl pushed his fingers through the come on his belly then pushed them into Glenn’s mouth, “Suck on them, baby, show me how you sucked my cock?” Glenn whimpered but did as told, sucking until they hit the back of his throat.

“Eager, aren’t ya?” Daryl said huskily, then did it again, gathering more come and feeding it to Glenn.

Unprepared for the lips and tongue against his taint, Glenn choked but even that kind of turned him on because Daryl didn’t remove his fingers, instead he watched him transfixed.

Then he felt a tongue licking the edge of his hole and Glenn cried out, unable to move, sensitive.

“So pretty,” Merle mumbled following the previous path of his tongue with his finger, “And so fuckin’ tight.”

He pressed the finger hard enough Glenn could feel it there, but not nearly hard enough for it to pop inside or to hurt, “Ya think it’s gonna fit, darling? Is your hole hungry enough for Daryl and I?”

He pinched the edge with his thumb and forefinger, all the while looking at Glenn, “When you’re ready, you’ll have both of us inside at the same time, bouncin’ on our dicks like a little slut.”

Glenn whimpered again, so turned on he was burning with it. His eyes were wide but he wasn’t seeing anything. He heard the words and it was so dirty so unbelievable, but it really fucking worked for him, pushed buttons he never knew he had.

Daryl took hold of his wrists and pressed them into the ground next to Glenn’s head, leaning down to kiss him. He stole his voice for when Merle thrust his tongue back into Glenn’s hole, making it wet and sloppy, biting and sucking on it gently.

He wasn’t prepared for the slick finger that pushed inside despite hearing the pop of a lube bottle, but once the burn passed he moved into it, enjoying the thickness and the helplessness as he was spread open in front of them.

When Daryl let go of him and moved away Glenn left his hands where they were and lost himself in the whimpers of another finger finding its way inside and the way Daryl pinched his nipples and licked his cock into hardness. Just tiny little licks that had his toes curling and his hips dancing in the motion of the thrusting fingers. He was tense with arousal, yearning for that overwhelming finish, but the two of them held it far enough away he knew he wasn’t coming again until they were ready.

“That’s it, darlin’, move that sweet little tush. Love seein’ ya so pink and soft.” Merle said as he pushed his leg further up and added another finger.

Glenn cried out, the fingers too thick for him to adjust easily.

“Come now, I know this here little pussy can take it.” Merle added licking around his fingers.

“Open up, baby,” Daryl was suddenly there, whispering as he pressed little kisses at the side of Glenn’s face, “Get ready for me. I bet you’re gonna be all warm and silky around me. Gonna milk my cock until I fill ya up, won’t ya?”

Glenn whined feeling his cock dribble precome and reached for Daryl, pulling him into a savage kiss.

Then Merle slapped his thigh, startling Glenn into looking at him, “Let go of him, time to get a cock in ya, darlin’.”

Glenn did as told, and Daryl moved lower, taking Merle’s place. He lubed his cock but whatever trepidation Glenn might have felt disappeared when Merle reached and pinched his nipple then pulled out his fingers. He bowed his back and moaned, feeling empty and wanting, then lips were around his nipple and a cock was nudging at his entrance.

Daryl slipped in slowly, inch by inch while Merle worked on Glenn’s chest, his large palm spread over Glenn’s belly and Glenn could do nothing but dig the top of his head into the ground, mouth wide open and panting.

Soon he bottomed out, his fingers digging into Glenn’s thighs while Glenn felt he could come just from the fullness and the slight burn. Then Daryl started moving and Glenn could do nothing but cry out with every thrust.

“Lovin’ that, aren’t ya, our little slut.” Merle leaned over him, cupped his face and spread open his mouth with his thumbs so he could push his tongue into Glenn’s open mouth and kiss him widely.

“Gonna get me ready, darlin’? I’m getting into ya next and I want ya as sloppy as ya can get. Just like a real pussy.” Merle said wickedly and Daryl chose that moment to nail Glenn’s magic spot.

The orgasm was so strong Glenn’s belly muscles contracted and he lifted off the ground only for Merle to grab his arms and hold him halfway off the ground.

“So fuckin’ tight,” Daryl moaned, thrusting faster.

“’Course he is,” Merle said sweetly, “Been waiting for our dicks for weeks.”

Glenn whimpered as it slowly started to ache.

“Take it, darlin’. He’s gonna fill ya up soon, make ya drippin’ and wet for me, all fucked out.” Merle crooned.

Then Daryl dropped down, one hand holding him off the ground and with the other he pulled Glenn forward by the neck kissing him as he pumped him full.

Merle lowered him down slowly, licking a line across his sweaty peck as Daryl slowly pulled out. Glenn felt the stretch but had no voice to express his discomfort, not that he really knew if he would have protested because he wanted Daryl to stay or because he wanted him out.

Sweat was slowly cooling on Glenn’s skin, the breeze both chilly as well as refreshing, but then Merle kneeled above Glenn’s head, his cock right in front of Glenn’s face making him cross his eyes awkwardly. He cradled the back of Glenn’s neck with his large arms and tilted his head backwards so his lips touched the tip of his dick.

“Gonna open up for me darlin’? Get me ready?” Merle asked sweetly and without thinking much about it, Glenn opened up and let Merle slide his cock all the way down his throat.

Glenn chocked right away, his arms instinctively reached for Merle’s thighs, but Daryl caught them before they could and slid two of the fingers from each hand into his mouth, sucking on them forcefully.

In that moment Daryl might as well have sucked on Glenn’s cock because the heat of it and the pressure pretty much transferred and Glenn was slowly getting hard again.

The sensations were mind blowing. From the cock sliding down his throat relentlessly and the come dripping out of his hole with each thrust to the steady wetness around his fingers. He was overstimulated and kind of loved every second of it.

Merle pulled out, leaving Glenn gasping just until the moment when he pushed a finger into Glenn’s sensitive hole, “There you are, darlin’.” Merle grinned at him as Glenn’s gaze snapped at Merle at the unexpected sensation.

Daryl let go of Glenn’s fingers and easily lifted Glenn in the air all naked and covered in sweat and come. Merle’s finger slipped out making more come follow and he lay down, his elbows holding him up. Daryl turned Glenn and had him straddle Merle’s hips. He took hold of Glenn’s cheeks, spreading him open, while Merle took hold of his cock and held it up.

It was Daryl who lowered him down, all the while relentlessly mouthing at Glenn’s shoulders and neck. Glenn was half out of it, unprepared for the stretch and the burn of Merle’s extra size, but determined to take it, to please them.

Daryl suddenly let him go and Glenn’s weak thighs, unable to hold him up, had him take all of Merle with a choked out scream. Merle moaned, his head falling back and Glenn felt him twitch inside, spreading Glenn all the more.

“Feelin’ full, baby?” Daryl whispered, kissing just below Glenn’s ear.

Glenn nodded weakly still adjusting, waiting for the burn to lessen.

“Let me know when you’re ready. Gonna fuck ya on Merle’s cock, like one of his toys.” Daryl said and Glenn visibly shivered.

“Ya like that, don’t ya?” Daryl chuckled sounding satisfied, “If it’s dirty, you’re into it, aren’t ya baby?”

Glenn blushed but nodded however reluctantly.

“He’s gonna fuck ya hard, won’t ask if it hurts when his dick is the one wet,” Daryl suck a bruise against Glenn’s neck, “Ya think ya can take it? Have ‘im use ya until all ya can feel is pain?”

Glenn whimpered, his cock dribbling again, “Yeah…” He trailed off, incredibly turned on by the words and wanting it so badly.

Then a hand took hold of his balls, holding them tightly and Daryl’s hands were back on Glenn’s cheeks, spreading him wider before he started pulling him up and dropping him down onto Merle’s thrusting hips.

For the first few Glenn was too overwhelmed to even utter a sound, but soon each thrust started pushing out choked shouts out of his throat as he was manhandled and used, the cock piercing him so harshly it was all he could feel below the waist, the friction and the burn that came with his. He ignored his hard cock and support of Daryl’s body at his back. Until Merle tightened his grip on Glenn’s balls and the deep ache had him bending slightly forward while his cock just spewed more precome. Glenn was half in shock, for how could something that hurt also feel so good?

“Gonna fill ya up now, darlin’.” Merle rasped, breathing hard, “Ya gonna paint my stomach?”

Glenn didn’t even have the chance to answer when Merle and Daryl quickened their movements and the cock was pistoling in and out of Glenn’s loosened hole. Merle lifted his torso as he came, pushing Glenn harder on his spurting cock and tightened his grip on Glenn’s balls so much he trembled with the ache. But that also seemed to be just the thing he needed to come with a cry.

He sobbed through it, the contractions, the pain of his cock, balls and ass, the deep throb inside, all adding to the sensation and another orgasm that was practically forced out of him with his cock untouched.

Daryl kissed his shaking shoulder blades over and over again while Merle just hugged him and petted his hair, but Glenn couldn’t stop crying still spread open by Merle’s wide cock.

“Hush darlin’, you’re all right, just exhausted, aren’t ya?” Merle soothed and pulled Glenn with him as he lay down.

He pulled Glenn’s thighs higher next to his body, so Glenn was once again open and exposed, but Glenn couldn’t have been bothered with it, so used to his body being theirs to do with it as they pleased.

Then Merle lifted him up slowly so his cock inched its way outside then dropped against Merle’s belly with a slap. He rested Glenn against him snuggly, his large hands cupping Glenn’s ass cheeks and embarrassingly enough the come inside him chose that moment to drip out.

Glenn blushed to the root of his hair and hid his face against Merle’s neck, but Merle just chuckled and patted his flank lightly.

Daryl was the one who wiped him gently with what was probably a wet cloth and he expected him to come join them then, but instead Glenn was surprised anew with Daryl choosing to lick his fucked out hole instead.

He whimpered and felt Merle lift up slightly to look only for him to chuckle, “Daryl’s licking your tired little pussy, isn’t he?”

Glenn burrowed against Merle’s neck harder, unable to face the light but Merle only lowered his voice, “He’s tasting our come on ya, relaxin’ your bruised little hole so ya can take us again later. Would ya like that darlin’? Us rubbin’ ya raw again. Ya like it when it hurts your little pussy.”

Despite the blush Glenn nodded, and he was, incredibly enough, on the verge of getting hard once again. Then Daryl pushed his tongue inside, licking the walls and sucking on the skin so gently Glenn was melting under the onslaught and even pushed back against it however slightly. But instead of continuing on the same note, Daryl licked between his cheeks instead until he reached the small of his back where he pressed a kiss and then dropped down next to them, wrapping an arm around Glenn’s waist until he pulled him in between them and draped himself over Glenn’s back until he was almost under him completely.

Glenn was so fuckin sated it was unreal. He’d never come so many times unless he was working it on his own. But those orgasms couldn’t even compare. Usually it mostly came down to one orgasm and the sex part of anything was over. Merle and Daryl pushed him pretty much until he passed out. They didn’t really ask if he could or if he was able. For them it was enough that he wanted it and they somehow took care of the rest.

It was probably how he would later justify his next words but in that moment he was full of fucking feelings and he wasn’t capable of holding them in, “I’m so fucking in love with you two.”

There were actual birds chirping around them in the trees as the silence and the stillness between them finally allowed all the other sounds to penetrate their bubble.

Finally Daryl kissed the back of his neck gently, his fingers rubbing circles over Glenn’s belly and Merle leaned to kiss his forehead, “Aww darlin’ ya know we Dixons aren’t good with feelings and shit. You’re ours and that’s all that matters.” Merle said in his loud way.

But Daryl leaned closer and right against Glenn’s ear whispered, “We love ya, Chinaman.”

The sound was so quiet Glenn was surprised Merle actually managed to catch it, “Darylina’s always been the soft one but he ain’t lyin’.” 

Daryl hit Merle’s hip with his fist saying, “Shut up, Merle.” But it was such a Dixon thing to do and say that Glenn couldn’t have wished for more from that particular moment.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Some weeks later Glenn was just heading away from a very successful meeting in a town three hours away. He’d found a guy who was willing to show him and explain everything about a bio digester and how he could install one for himself. Glenn had read a lot about it and loved the idea and the possibilities. It was such a clean solution he just knew he would find a way of implementing it at the cave site. The meeting had pushed the idea home and Glenn was already spinning possibilities in his head about cheap options. Man, it seriously sucked to be broke. If he’d had a million or two stashed somewhere, the sky would be his limit.

Daryl had just shrugged when he’d told him about the project, but Merle was grumbling even now, days later, about the amount of digging it would entail to have it all hidden away. And it had to be hidden as much as possible, just like anything else they did in the forest.

He’d planned the trip well, and still had a couple of meetings with the local couponers to exchange some he really didn’t need for others he could certainly use. He just wasn’t sure his truck would be able to handle the load this time, because the store he’d had his eye on had a lot of discounts and he would be using them all.

A few hours later he’d just sorted all the coupons he’d gotten with the ones he’d already prepared for the occasion and was ready for his shopping. He’d never thought this would be his life. Dragging carts with him and clipping coupons at all hours of the day, but then again it sounded way more realistic than the actual end of the world.

This time he was headed for the child section for some wet wipes and diapers. He wasn’t ecstatic about the wet wipes because they dried out eventually, but they would still be able to use them for a while. He was just checking the prices of some pacifiers, trying to remember if he had any coupons for them when he bumped into someone.

Turning to look he saw he’d knocked down a little girl whose doll was right there next to her on the floor.

Glenn leaned down to pick it up and help her to her feet when she looked at him and the world kind of stopped. The eyes looking at him were just as wide and frightened as he’d remembered.

Then there was a panicked shout, “Sophia!” and Glenn came face to face with Carol Peletier.

She was a far cry from the woman he’d left behind. The dangerous and sometimes trigger happy lady who was willing to fight for what was right. No, this was the scared little mouse, too afraid of her husband’s shadow to strike back, to put a pickaxe through his skull.

She was all proper and mom like, if you ignored the short hair, bruises in the shape of fingers on the side of her neck and the black eye badly hidden by make-up.

“Sophia, there you are. Come.” Carol motioned for her daughter and Sophia scrambled up as if well used to obeying quickly. She probably was.

“I’m sorry for bumping you, didn’t see you there.” Glenn said with a smile and offered the doll to Sophia.

She looked at her mother first but without a sign from her, Sophia didn’t make a move to take the doll.

“I apologize. We must be going.” Carol said and started to leave.

But Glenn couldn’t just let that happen. He moved forward, too quickly probably, then stopped when he noticed Carol had matched him and stepped away.

“Can I please speak with you for a moment without little ears?” Glenn implored with his best puppy look and he must have still had it because Carol reluctantly moved a few feet away from Sophia and waited Glenn out.

He dug out a pen and a coupon he wasn’t likely to use from his binder and started writing on the back of it. “He’s an asshole who won’t ever stop until he’s dead.” Glenn started and as Carol twisted as if to leave he persisted, “It’s not just about you, but that little girl over there. A day will come when she will be alone with him and she won’t have you to step in as a punching bag. And one hit from those fists against her soft face…” Glenn trailed off and watched the horror cross Carol’s face.

“I live with my two lovers who wouldn’t be afraid to kick his ass and he would think twice about coming near them, but they would never lay a hand on a woman or child. We live three hours from here so he would have trouble finding you. It’s protection free of charge and probably the best opportunity you’re gonna get any time soon.” Glenn wasn’t sure he was getting through to her, but it was the best he could do. “This is the number of the house. We work a lot so if no one answers you try again. If we need to come get you, we will. The moment you feel ready, you don’t hesitate, you grab that girl and you run. You don’t need anything else.” He thrust the coupon with the number and the address into her hand and in moments she was off.

Glenn picked up the doll he’d dropped in his rush and put it in his cart. He would get that to Sophia one way or another.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Merle was sitting on the porch with a beer and a cigarette when Glenn parked outside. It was already dark but the light from the house showed him clearly and Glenn noticed the groan at the tarp covered truck bed even if he was too far away to hear it.

“Come help me.” He called as he got out of the truck and started to uncover his stash addition.

“I’d been luggin’ lumber all day, darlin’.” Merle complained but he got up off his chair, put the beer down and stuck the cigarette between his lips.

“I know. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” Glenn whispered as he wrapped his arm around Merle’s waist and hugged him for a moment.

Merle kissed the top of his head and reached down to pinch his ass, “Feelin’ frisky’?”

Glenn moved away but grinned at Merle, “You know I can’t resist that Dixon charm.”

Merle loved it each time Glenn confirmed Merle’s high opinion of himself if the wide grin on his face was anything to go by. “No one can resist a Dixon.”

“Daryl not home yet?” Glenn asked as they carried the bags inside.

“Naw. Called sayin’ he was staying late. One of the mares is havin’ a calf and he wanted to see how it was done.” Merle’s long stride was a challenge to keep up with as he disappeared into the house but Glenn could still hear him, “Woulda called ‘im a pussy before prison and y’all but it makes sense ta me now.”

“I saw one of the women I’d first met at the quarry today. She has a husband that’s beating on her.” Glenn said not able to get Carol out of his head.

“Fuckin’ pussy.” Merle spat.

Glenn already knew what Merle and Daryl thought about that kind of violence and it was nothing pretty. “I gave her our phone number and address and told her to call or run as soon as she was able. Don’t know if she will listen.”

“They never do.” Merle said bitterly but then seemed to shake it off and asked, “She alright?”

“Yeah. Amazing really. Lost her husband in the quarry to the walkers. Her daughter got lost a few days later and when we found her she was already dead. Carol went through it struggling but came out a badass. Daryl trained her.” Glenn said with a smile.

“Then we best make sure she makes it.” Merle pulled Glenn into a hug then lifted him up as he shouted and threw him over his shoulder.

“Merle, the door is still open and I left the truck unlocked.” Glenn said through a laugh.

“Ain’t like anyone ‘round here’s insane enough to steal my truck.” Merle just said and continued to the bedroom.

He dropped Glenn to the bed making him laugh, then just about ripped his clothes off him. “Still feelin’ like makin’ it up ta me?”

“Yeah,” Glenn told him somewhat breathlessly.

“Good.” Merle spread out next to him then pulled Glenn up to straddle his hips. “Ride me, darlin’.”

Glenn’s cock was already stiff and saluting and he reached for the bottle of lube which never made it into to drawer anymore and did just that.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, are you people liking this at all? Feeling kind of lonely out here....

Daryl and Glenn were having one of those lazy afternoons where Daryl was spread out on the couch, the TV just a background noise, and Glenn was laying on top of him like a blanket, head tucked against Daryl’s neck.

“Love the way you smell.” Glenn mumbled, rubbing the tip of his nose against the skin.

Daryl grunted, his palm warm against the exposed line on Glenn’s lower back.

“Never knew I could have so much sex.” Glenn pressed a kiss at the edge of Daryl’s shirt, “Surprised my ass can take it.” He could still feel the delicious ache of their afternoon fuck and it was turning him on.

“Even when it hurts I kind of want more.” He mused, noticing how Daryl’s cock hardened slightly beneath him.

“Merle’ll be back soon. I’m all worn out. Can suck me if ya want when he fucks ya.” He lifted his hand and pushed his fingers through Glenn’s hair.

“Mmmm… I can do that.” Glenn whispered shivering at just the thought of being impaled between them again.

They heard Daryl’s truck as Merle parked outside and in what felt like no time he was inside saying, “Love the sight of ya to come home to.”

He leaned down as he reached them and pulled Glenn’s shirt all the way to his neck only to lick a long line up his spine. Glenn moaned.

“He’s been wantin’ your dick.” Daryl commented, his gaze focused on the TV. “Still hurtin’ for the fuck I gave him, but it just makes him want it more.”

Merle grinned almost viciously, “Our little slut.”

Glenn seemed to be triggered by their voices more often than not, because he was hard again, just about ready to beg for it when the phone rang.

All three of them paused and looked at it before Glenn scrambled over Daryl, probably pressing against a couple of awkward spots in his rush, and picked it up. “Hello?”

“Glenn? I’m sorry,…” He could hear crying, “You said I should call.”

“Carol?” Glenn asked, “Do we need to come get you? Where are you? Is Sophia safe?”

“She’s…She’s locked up in her room.” Carol coughed for a long time, “Ed went drinking. But I can’t get up and let her out. I’m so dizzy, Glenn.”

“Hang in there, we’re coming right away.” Glenn said taking the shoes Daryl’ had brought him and putting them on.

“It will take us some time to get to you. But if you start feeling better, you get out of that house and go to the closest public place. We’ll find you. Now give me your address and your cell phone number.” Glenn wrote it all down, took a moment to grab the doll he’d bought for Sophia and they were out of the house.

The drive was tense with Glenn holding Daryl’s hand and Merle gripping Glenn’s thigh. They didn’t speak much, unsure of what they would find there and Glenn kept spinning the worst case scenarios in his head which hardly helped.

Parking in front of the picturesque house they knew they were too late. Ed was back. The sounds from the inside were like something from a horror movie and Merle and Daryl didn’t hesitate, they just ran inside.

Ed was holding Carol against the wall and slapping her as quickly as his drunken coordination allowed him. Merle tackled the bastard and Daryl caught Carol before she could collapse to the floor. Not willing to risk anyone getting more hurt and knowing they were out of time as it was, Glenn located the phone quickly and called the police.

A thud had him turning and he noticed Merle hitting Ed on the floor without reservation. Dropping the phone Glenn crossed the distance between them and tried to pull Merle away before he actually killed Ed, but that wasn’t happening. Merle was like a wild beast with just one focus and plenty of determination.

“Daryl!” Glenn shouted, “Help me!”

Well acquainted with the force that was Merle, Daryl took hold of him in a practiced way and with Glenn’s help they just managed to pull him away when the police showed up. They were shouting but at some point they must have realized Merle wasn’t cooperating and then there were more hands holding him back as he shouted, “Let me kill the son of a bitch! Let me go!”

In a matter of minutes Merle was in the back of a police car, Ed and Carol in separate ambulances and Glenn and Daryl were being interrogated by the police.

“Shit! Sophia!” Glenn ran up the stairs without explanation, trying the doors until he came to the one that was locked. The key was in the lock and without waiting he opened it and went inside. “Sophia?”

Glenn could almost feel the gaze of the police officer at his back but the man kept quiet for which Glenn was thankful for.

“Sophia? It’s okay, you can come out. Your mom was taken to a hospital. Do you want to go see her?” Glenn asked softly as he got to his knees.

Tentatively Sophia crawled from under the bed and surprisingly enough, once she saw Glenn she ran toward him and hugged him.

Without hesitation Glenn hugged back then picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist, hanging on for dear life. “It’s okay. Everything will be alright now.”

The police officer gave Glenn a little smile and they all headed back downstairs.

It didn’t take long for the police to wrap it up. Glenn called Carol’s cell phone until he found it and gave the police that number so they could inform him about Merle and him and Daryl took Sophia to the hospital.

The ride was quiet for the most part with Daryl shooting glances at Sophia still wrapped around Glenn.

“Taken a likin’ to ya.” He commented when they were near.

Glenn pushed his fingers through her hair, touching the edge of Sophia’s face and she just seemed to tuck herself closer to him. “Saw her only once so I’m as surprised as you are.”

“Mama talked about you. Said we would trust you.” Sophia whispered but not bothering to show her face.

“Is that so?” Glenn asked with a smile but Sophia just nodded.

Daryl snorted, “And Merle thinks he’s the charmin’ one.”

Glenn chuckled and blushed. God he loved the man so fucking much it stole his breath away sometimes. Hell, he loved both of them, probably more than was sensible in any version of reality.

The hospital was a flurry of activity, but the nurse on call was familiar with Sophia and Carol apparently because she showed them to the waiting room and said a doctor would be around to give them an update.

“Fuckin’ hate hospitals.” Daryl mumbled as he sat down in the uncomfortable chair and crossed his thick arms.

“I’m not a fan either. Maybe we’ll be able to take her home soon.” Glenn squirmed in his seat trying to find a more comfortable position.

“Figure we could empty out my room for a start and move into Merle’s. Yours’ got those coupons and shit to bother with.”

“That would probably be best. The bed is big enough.” Blushing Glenn still looked at Daryl only to get a naughty wink in return. Daryl might have been shy at the beginning but as the weeks passed he was becoming surer of himself and Glenn couldn’t have been happier. Merle was rubbing off on the both of them and in more ways than one.

“Havta pick up some of their things first. ‘Fore the asshole gets out of hospital, or jail.” Daryl scowled.

“Yeah. I was hoping of keeping our names out of everything, but now he will be able to find us easier.” Glenn admitted.

Daryl huffed, “Not if we move the plan along and take them campin’.”

“I don’t want them alone out there.” Glenn pulled Sophia closer to his chest.

Daryl somehow deflated, “You’re probably right. Maybe if she pressed charges it will buy us some time. It’s not like it will matter later.”

“We’ll just deal with the shit as it hits us. It’s only a few more months and there’s still a lot of work to be done. We can’t just pack up now if we want to be comfortable later on.”

“Will something bad happen?” Sophia’s soft voice made them realize they were out in the open.

“Nothin’ we won’t be prepared for, sweetheart.” Daryl said in a gruff but kind voice, giving Glenn a look over her head and the topic was dropped.

It was maybe another half an hour when a doctor came out asking for family of Carol Peletier. She had a bad concussion and they were keeping her overnight for observation. Two broken ribs, a sprained wrist and she was bruised all over. If there were no complications by morning, she would be discharged.

Glenn led Sophia to see her mother, but Carol was obviously out of it and eventually a nurse told them it would be best if they came to see her in the morning.

With nothing else to do, Daryl and Glenn went back to Carol’s house and with Sophia’s help packed up everything Sophia thought they might need. But as they dug around they realized Carol was already half prepared. She had a few stashes of the most important things hidden around and they ended up taking everything.

They spent the night in a cheap motel room with Daryl keeping watch and Sophia hugging the doll Glenn had pressed into her arms as both of them slept.

The next day Merle’s bail was set which Glenn promptly paid and was told he could pick up Merle after noon. So they got back in the truck and headed for the hospital.

It seemed the whole morning was a game of waiting which rubbed against Daryl’s last nerve. He spent most of the time outside chain smoking but Sophia was glued to Glenn’s side.

She really wasn’t a bother. The quietest child alive probably. She was just scared and clinging to the only familiar face around.

When Carol was finally discharged, they filled out her pain prescriptions, tucked her into the truck in between them and went to get Merle.

He was as surly as Glenn remembered him back from the quarry, but he wasn’t mean. He cleared himself some space in the truck bed and promptly went to sleep.

So it happened they had Carol and Sophia living with them ahead of schedule. Glenn couldn’t have been more pleased.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
The first morning with all of them together, Glenn called in sick and was in the kitchen eating cereal when Sophia tiptoed down the hallway and once assured he was alone, joined him at the table.

“Want some?” He asked not quite awake.

She nodded and in no time they were munching together.

“So what do you think about your new home?” He asked eventually.

Sophia seemed to hesitate before whispering, “It’s not really nice.” Then she quickly added, “But it’s very clean.”

Glen chuckled, “It was worse before I came here, but it has all the important things.”

She nodded with a smile but then got serious again, “I missed school today.”

“Yeah, we’ll have to work something out with that. Maybe have your mom home school you for a while.” Glenn mused, not sure how that worked. He would have to talk to Carol as soon as she woke up.

They both heard a somewhat frantic call of “Sophia!” from the room and rushed there.

Carol’s face relaxed the moment she saw Sophia at the door and the girl crawled into the bed with her mother.

Glenn watched them almost amused. It was good to see them together especially because he still vividly remembered the little walker from the barn and the devastation of her loss. It was a blow none of them recovered from quickly but Glenn doubted Carol ever got over it. He swore he would make sure that never happened this time. Both of them would train and learn before shit hit the fan.

“Thank you.” Carol suddenly said and Glenn noticed she was watching him.

Glenn waved his hand, “I would do it all again. You don’t need to thank none of us. Just keep in mind that we are here for you and Ed will have to go through all of us to get to you. That won’t happen.”

“Why would you do something like that? You don’t know us. I still can’t believe I even called you.” Carol asked quietly, still hugging her daughter as she looked away from Glenn as if ashamed.

“Because you deserve all the help you can get and you don’t deserve getting beaten day in and out and living in fear. No one deserves that. Merle and Daryl had had a rough childhood. They’re tough and can be dangerous but if there’s one thing they just can’t let slide is someone beating on his wife or child. If Ed comes here by any chance he isn’t likely to leave alive.” Glenn said honestly, then added, “I have some other reasons too, but I’ll explain those when we get to know each other a little better.”

Carol nodded with tears in her eyes, then asked, “Is there any way I can repay you all?”

“For now don’t worry about it,” Glenn winked, “When you get better you can help cook so Daryl doesn’t do it all the time and you can get a job so you help us with our finances. One thing we’ll probably demand from the both of you is that you learn to defend yourselves.”

Carol raised her eyebrows but before she could ask anything Glenn explained, “I train with both of them most days. They teach me how to defend from an attacker and how to handle certain weapons. Most weekends we’re somewhere in the forest where I’m learning how to live in the wild, how to hunt and make a fire, how to recognize edible plants. Personally, I think all those skills would be useful to learn no matter where you go from here.”

Carol reluctantly nodded and Glenn continued, “Just imagine if Ed were to attack you again and you break his nose and lay him down flat on his ass. He’d think twice about going at you again. In the kitchen you could hit him with a pan and throw hot water over him. All of it is dangerous, but when you’re at risk you use everything at your disposal and I want you to never be helpless again. Fair?”

She was openly crying now with Sophia petting her hair, but she nodded and mouthed another thank you. Glenn just smiled and asked her what she would like for breakfast.

Later when Daryl came home and started on the customary meal, Carol was resting in her room and Sophia situated herself right there at the table next to him giving Daryl tips and helping out with things she knew how to do.

Daryl was visibly impressed and for once didn’t spare his words of praise. He encouraged her to speak and to show him how something could be done better and all the while she hadn’t stopped smiling.

When Merle showed up just as they were sitting down to eat, his loud, “Darlin’ I’m home,” almost scared Sophia out of her skin she startled so badly.

“Dinner is ready.” Daryl shouted back.

“Don’t worry,” Glenn touched her hand, “He’s just loud and sometimes he and Daryl fight each other, but all of that is really normal and nothing to worry about. He will never ever hurt you. Understand?”

Sophia nodded just in time for Merle to come in and ruffle her hair saying, “How ya doin’ pipsqueak?”

He moved to the fridge and pulled out one of the beers he was allowed before dropping down in a seat.

Sophia blushed but eventually said softly, “I helped with dinner.”

“Ya did?” Merle feinted surprise, “That means we’ll be able to eat it for once, won’t we?”

Daryl hit his shoulder with his fist, “Shut up, Merle!” at which point Sophia giggled.

They would be okay.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
The next afternoon they were all home in the back yard. Sophia and Daryl were working on self-defense with Daryl adapting it to the child, while Merle and Glenn were going through one of their hand to hand exercises. It did wonders for Glenn’s stamina and general fitness, but in the weeks since they’ve been going through with it Merle was starting to look better and better.

Carol sat on the porch wrapped up in a blanket watching them with a smile. Just one day later and she was more lively and smiled easier, but there was that shadow in her eyes that Glenn remember from the quarry.

“Good job, Sophia!” She shouted as Sophia did the move right for the first time and it was wonderful to see the joy on Sophia’s face at the praise.

“She’s a regular little ass-kicker, ain’t she?” Merle said as he knocked Glenn down on the ground again. One thing Glenn could say for sure about Merle – it didn’t matter how many times he slept with the guy, he still spared him none when it came to any kind of fighting.

Glenn got back up and went to sit with Carol while Merle joined Daryl in instructing Sophia. She absolutely loved the attention.

“You’re really good at that.” Carol commented.

“I’m okay. Been at it for a few months now. You should have seen me when I first started, couldn’t take five minutes of it I was already dying, out of breath.” Glenn chuckled.

“Think I’ll be able to do it?” Carol wondered pulling the blanket tighter around her.

“I don’t doubt it for a minute. You just need to heal up some. But they can start teaching you other things while you’re not at your best.” Glenn said.

“May I…” Carol pressed her fingertips against her lips as if to gather courage, “May I ask why are you learning all of this?”

Glenn tilted his head, thinking on how to word it and what to reveal then shook the thought away, “You’ll think I’m crazy.”

Carol scoffed, “Well it can’t be any crazier than living with an abusive husband for years all the while knowing it won’t get any better.”

Glenn knew he couldn’t actually tell her everything. She would take Sophia and run. He got lucky with Merle and Daryl and if he’d learned anything from Negan it was that eventually you ran out of luck. “To put it bluntly, I believe shit is gonna hit the fan in a few months and the society won’t ever be the same again. I’m preparing for survival.”

Carol took that in before tentatively saying, “Have you seen a doctor for that?”

Glenn laughed so hard his belly hurt, “No. I haven’t seen a doctor.” He chuckled again, “I’m not hurting anyone. I’m just preparing for something I believe is gonna happen. If nothing does I’m gonna sell what I’ve gathered and walk away with a lot of useful skills.” He paused for a moment, “Well, I’m not gonna walk away, I love those two guys, but you know what I mean.”

Carol nodded, “I suppose you’re right.” Then she added, “What do you mean by what you’ve gathered?”

Glenn grinned, “Now you’re really gonna think I’m crazy. Feel up to walking to the basement with me?”

She looked at him skeptically.

“I swear there’s nothing dangerous there, just my stash. Come on, live a little.” Glenn smiled at her and Carol slowly got to her feet.

It took a while for them to get down to the basement but once they did her jaw dropped. It looked vastly different now from those tentative and amateur starts when he first started living there. He now had shelves all along the walls and all of them were full. They’d already started taking things to the cave and Glenn planned on leaving only half of the current stash in the house once they left permanently and by then it would be well hidden and packed, ready for quick transport.

“Are you a hoarder?” Carol asked looking at him in wonder.

“Worse, I’m a couponer.” Glenn grinned. “But really, I stash food and general necessities which I get cheap with a lot of work because I believe that soon enough you won’t be able to buy any of this. But like I already said, if nothing happens, I’ll just sell this or something, and there’s no harm.”

Carol just nodded somewhat dazed and he helped her back to the porch again.

“Show ya his hoard, did he?” Merle said chuckling together with Daryl.

“Thought there was somethin’ wrong with ‘im when I first met ‘im.” Daryl said, “But ya get used to it.” Then he added, “Not the coupons though, that shit makes no sense ta me and I’d rather get lost in the woods again than clip that shit every damn day.”

Carol laughed a full belly laugh and it called Sophia to her mother where she hugged her with a smile. The kid probably wasn’t used to her mother happy.

“Ya ain’t seen nothin’ yet. Wait till ya go campin’ with us.” Merle told her as he sprawled on the steps in front of her.

Glenn scowled at him, “Come on, you’re helping me out with stuff out there. It’s a great idea.”

“Ain’t sayin’ nothin’.” Merle lifted his hands.

“Sure you aren’t.” Glenn gave him the stink eye.

“Aww darlin’,” Merle reached for him and knocked him onto his lap, hugging him close, “Ya ain’t mad at me, right?”

Glenn tried to resist, but as Merle started kissing his neck saying, “Hate it when you’re mad at me darlin’, love ya all smilin’ and shit.” He couldn’t help it but chuckle and kiss Merle’s lips.

“You’re so sweet together.” Carol commented.

Merle turned to her with a scowl, “Daryl is the sweet one, woman. I ain’t no such thing.”

Carol looked confused and Glenn decided to get that out in the open. He stood and pulled Daryl close enough to kiss him.

Carol gasped, looking between all three of them, but it was Sophia who asked, “Are all of you boyfriends?”

“Naw,” Daryl grinned, “the two of us,” he motioned at Merle and himself, “are Glenn’s boyfriends. Merle’s me brother.”

Sophia nodded as if that cleared it all up, but Carol asked wide-eyed, “You’ve told me you had two lovers but I didn’t realize… How does that work?”

Merle snorted and explained in his crass way, “Simple, we fuck ‘im, we don’t fuck each other.”

Carol blushed while Sophia asked, “What does fuck mean?”

Only blushing harder at the question, Carol pulled Sophia close and started on some fairly innocent lie when Merle interrupted, “It’s what a man and a woman, or in our ‘ere case three men, do when naked in bed, girly. Ask your mum ta give you some educational books.”

“Oh, you mean sexual intercourse.” Sophia said with a smile.

Daryl and Glenn started chuckling while Merle spluttered. It was Carol who came to the rescue, “We read together, we just don’t use such words.”

“Fair ‘nough.” Daryl nodded.

“Now wait just a minute. I ain’t holdin’ my tongue none just ‘cause she don’t know her curse words.” Merle said with a scowl.

“And that is fine.” Carol nodded, back straight, “Sophia knows she’s not allowed to use them. I’ve raised her better than that.”

Merle got red in the face but stayed quiet. It wasn’t like he could defend his parents because he certainly hadn’t been raised better than that, and Carol didn’t forbid him to actually curse in his own house.

“You’ve got any skills to brag about?” Glenn asked out of the blue trying to diffuse the situation somewhat.

Carol looked startled for a moment before she smiled, “I used to be a substitute teacher for a few months, but mostly I was a stay at home mom.”

Glenn nodded, “That’s good, it means you can homeschool Sophia easier. It will be better if she’s safe here until we handle Ed. And there’s nothing wrong with being a housewife. I bet it comes with all sorts of handy capabilities.”

Sophia was the one to answer, “Mom can cook, real good and she always fixes my clothes.”

“You can sew?” Glenn wondered.

“Just the basics. Ed didn’t like it if I spent money on things he didn’t think we needed.”

“How about we find you a sewing class to start you off? Nothing fancy, just something to give you options later on?” Glenn asked.

Carol was all reluctance, “I don’t know. I can’t really afford something like that.”

“Don’t worry about money. We’ll handle it, and later you can pay us back. Besides, if the world does end, it will be a useful skill to have.” Glenn winked making Carol laugh.

“I wouldn’t mind you cookin’ some. It’s been my job for a while now.” Daryl added at which point Carol just nodded and smiled at him in acceptance.

“And you little lady,” Glenn leaned forward, “We’ll teach you how to ride a bike. How about that?”

Sophia grinned and nodded. It would all seem like a game to her in the end, but Glenn planned on turning her into a survivor, just like the rest of them.

“You’re really serious about the end of the world thing?” Carol eventually asked as if it was something she wasn’t sure she could get passed.

Glenn didn’t allow it to worry him, he had too much depending on his plans already. “Yes I am. But don’t think about it as if it is something final. It doesn’t matter what I believe, but rather what you can gain from it. So far you’ve got basic survival skills in case you need to run from Ed or someone else. You have defense if you get caught. You’ll have shelter to hide in from whoever is chasing you and still, if none of that happens, you’ll still learn things that might help you find a better job later on.”

Carol nodded tentatively, “I suppose I see your point. It sounds crazy when you limit it to just a fanatic waiting for the end of the world, but I can see how it will be useful. I don’t ever want to feel as if I’m defenseless again.”

“Don’t ya worry, we’ll cure ya of that disability real quick.” Merle chuckled.

“Do you mind watching Sophia for a while? I’m feeling tired and would like to go lie down for a while.”

Glenn nodded, “Sure. You take it easy.”

Carol kissed Sophia’s forehead and went back inside while Sophia looked at them expectantly and asked, “You’ve got a shelter that isn’t this house?”

“Sure do.” Daryl laughed, “Built it right in the forest so no one can find us. You think you can help out with some animals we plan on getting there?”

Sophia nodded enthusiastically before asking, “What kind of animals? Because I know a lot about many of them. Dad never let me have a pet but I could read as many books as I wanted.”

“Was thinking some chickens and some rabbits, a few goats and sheep, maybe a turkey. What do you think?” Daryl hugged her and led her back to the yard.

“Chickens, goats and sheep can stay together you know? But you have to separate them from rabbits. Also, did you think about pigs?” Sophia asked and Glenn was already adding them to his list.


	8. Chapter 8

Once better, Carol was enrolled in a sewing class to pretty much no one’s surprise. She also handled everything with the school and was already in the process of teaching Sophia herself. She seemed to kind of blossom a lot easier than Glenn remembered, but then again that wasn’t much of a revelation.

Glenn still caught her watching the door occasionally as if Ed was just about to appear and she was never really at ease when out in the open, but she was relaxing, one day at a time.

The three of them just kept on going, always planning and working and Glenn was starting to feel the pressure as the months slipped by and the clock was ticking away.

“Baby, you’ve gotta relax some.” Daryl mumbled against Glenn’s ear as he hugged him close, “We’ve still got time and even if we didn’t we’re set for years to come.”

Glenn sighed, “I know all that, but I can’t help it. I just keep thinking of things we could still use or that we might need and I just have to stress over it. Then there are the others that I have no idea how to save in the first place.”

“It’ll happen, don’t worry.” Daryl reassured and there was something about his voice and confidence that worked for Glenn and put him somewhat at ease.

“Now why are we lookin’ at bikes? Was hopin’ I ain’t gonna hafta learn how ta ride one.” Daryl whispered probably embarrassed as he looked at all those laid out in the store.

“Sure you will. All of us will. I’ll buy a couple now and will mark this store to raid after. I’ll also have to order a few cargo trailers for them. Those are expensive and the ones I want have to be ordered. I can’t just steal them after.”

“Aww, man… I’m too old to fall on my ass for your amusement.” Daryl pinched Glenn’s shoulder.

“Fuel won’t last forever and while I plan on transporting the worst of it while we’re able, we will have to have some alternative later on. We won’t keep horses unless the Greens join us. You’ve said it’s dangerous and I don’t want to waste whatever time I have left on learning it. That leaves bicycles.” Glenn said as he pretty much took stock of the store, all the exits and the location of the stuff he planned on stealing eventually.

“We’re building the tree stands this weekend, and ya want them to be all comfortable and shit. The cave is pretty much filled up by now and ya already have all the animals ya want selected. We’ve even managed to set up the digester and the shower and finish up everything else inside. It’s live in ready, Glenn. For some of the rest of it we’ll just have ta get by. It won’t all work exactly as you’d imagined it.” Daryl grumbled sounding exasperated.

“I know that. I do…” Glenn trailed off when another idea occurred to him, “Are there any more caves there? Maybe we could explore and set up a second storage or something for all the things we won’t need right away.”

Daryl sighed, “Baby, I’m tired and sick of talkin’ ‘bout it. I haven’t seen ya properly for goin’ on two weeks and I miss ya.”

Glenn blushed at that and promptly hugged Daryl pressing a soft kiss against his lips.

“I’m sorry. I let it consume me and it never just stops. I haven’t had any time with Merle either lately. We should just take this morning for ourselves. Grab the food we need and go for ice cream or something, a walk in that park we’d passed by.”

Daryl nodded with a smile, “I’d like that.”

So that was what they did and as Glenn leaned against Daryl sprawled on the park bench, the sun strong enough they were both squinting, he knew he’d made the right choice

“You’re real pretty all relaxed like tha’ and out in the sun. Reminds me of early mornings when you’d just been fucked and don’t feel like movin’.” Daryl growled in his ear.

“Grrr, don’t remind me… It’s been a while since I’d felt your cock, hasn’t it?” Glenn asked trying to remember when exactly that was but it wasn’t coming to him. He’d been so busy, they all were. He was finishing his classes, at least as far as he planned on going with it. Physically he felt ready, knowing both defense and survival, and by now they were as prepared with supplies as they could be. Then there was Carol who also needed some of his time and Sophia who somewhat restricted their leisure time and it all just gathered up.

“I don’t mind that so much. Held out without it for years, but I miss ya next to me. Talkin’, the hugs. Didn’t know a man could get used to such things so easily, but now I’m not willing to give it up, ya know?” Daryl kissed his temple.

“Back then, after the end of it all, there was so much danger around all of us spent most of our time together. There wasn’t anything really close to privacy to speak of and I learned quickly to tolerate the smells, sounds and habits, both my own and those of the others. You couldn’t go and take a leak without tripping over someone’s feet or informing at least a couple of people exactly where you were going. It creates bonds the same as danger does. You’re running for your life, saving someone’s or another is sticking his neck out for you. By the end I was closer to those people than I ever was to my blood family. I could trust them with my life and they could do the same.” Glenn leaned more heavily on Daryl, “Then I woke up in this time, alone in my apartment with all the wrong sounds and no one near me enough to even touch. Even worse was notion of loss. I’ll never be able to get those people back. It took me a while to come to terms with it.” Glenn gathered his thoughts before continuing, “Getting this close to you and Merle wasn’t something I’d expected. At the most I’d hoped for a tentative friendship with you and a working relationship with Merle.”

Daryl just held him for a while, but his silence had always been of a healing sort. He knew when to speak and when to just be supportive. Not many realized that.

In time he broke the silence, “Was I much different than I am now?”

Glenn thought on it for a moment, “Yes and no. You’re more open now, way more open, but I’d known about all your kind qualities before, too. You hid pretty much anything that was great about you and acted a lot like Merle, especially in the beginning. It took effort to get to know this other side of you, and at first few bothered. We had too much shit to handle and people like usual limited themselves to what was in plain sight.”

“We were friends?” Daryl asked with a certain dose of hesitation.

“Without a doubt. It took a while because I was mostly afraid of you in the beginning, but I’m good at blending in the background and you hear a lot that way. It didn’t take me long to get a read on you and after it worked much better.”

“And Carol?”

Glenn exhaled loudly, “She a story. Came to the quarry with Sophia and Ed. It was plain to see he beat her most days, but everyone kept waving it away because it wasn’t their problem. He got bit during the first big attack. It wasn’t much later that Sophia got lost in the woods after another hoard surprised us. You spent days looking for her, got hurt during, but we eventually found her already walking. I think she was probably bit that first night she was lost. It was a big loss but Carol carried on. There was a moment later on when she snapped over other things, but if anyone came out of it a warrior, it was her.”

“I can see it.” Daryl nodded.

“Yeah?” Glenn agreed but wondered exactly what Daryl saw.

Daryl pushed his fingers through Glenn’s hair for a moment before speaking, “Looks like a slip of a woman but she’s good with weapons and quick in a fight. Was all tentative and shit at first, but once she realized she wouldn’t actually hurt me she started going all out. Is better at it than you.”

Glenn moved away and scowled at him.

Daryl just grinned and mussed up his hair, “She is. Pickin’ it up much faster than ya did.”

Leaning back against him Glenn couldn’t really be mad. Before everything he was somewhat fast but he’d always been a klutz. Now he was stronger and knew how to handle himself, but it wasn’t something that would ever come naturally to him. “Think they will be ready when the time comes?”

Daryl inclined his head, “They’re half ready now. But if it all goes as ya say it will, none of us will be ready until we face it head on.”

“True.” Glenn agreed. “Until they kill a couple of Geeks they’ll just be scared and reluctant. We should handle that as soon as we can when the time comes. Even if they end up staying at the cave most of the time.”

“And there we go again, planin’.” Daryl grumbled.

Laughing, Glenn sat up and took hold of Daryl’s cheeks kissing him on the lips, “We’re both survivors darlin’” Glenn drawled the word like Merle usually did, “It’s in our nature to plan and work on the problem. Don’t try and cage us.”

Daryl growled, grabbed him around the waist and knocked him down on the grass while Glenn laughed like crazy, “If we weren’t in public now I’d show ya what caged really meant!”

Through his chuckle Glenn uttered, “And I’d love every minute of it,” before he hugged Daryl to him and kissed him silly not caring who was watching.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
It wasn’t the first weekend that Daryl and Merle went to the cave on their own, but it was the first one where they were actually planning on doing something potentially dangerous and Glenn wouldn’t be there to help out.

He knew they were capable enough but he still worried, however he worried more about leaving Carol and Sophia on their own for two days. Carol was all healed up and by now capable of knocking down a grown man, but Ed was a bully and unpredictable and Glenn just wasn’t comfortable with leaving them on their own.

When he’d first told Carol he was staying her uncensored reaction of utter relief was telling and only cemented his decision.

So it happened they were out the back clipping coupons and enjoying their training free weekend while they watched Sophia throw knives at a target. It was something Daryl thought of and Sophia embraced. She didn’t take long to start aiming right, but it took a while until she developed enough strength to actually make that knife stick. Carol on the other hand was great with guns, especially Merle’s rifle, but couldn’t throw a knife and hit something to save her life. Glenn didn’t bother to even try. He had trouble with throwing and catching a freaking ball, he doubted he would suddenly show expertise with a sharp knife.

The knock when it came was so surprising Glenn dropped his scissors. No one ever came to the Dixon’s door and if any of their acquaintances did, Glenn doubted they would bother to knock.

“Take Sophia and go take a walk in the woods. If everything is alright I’ll come out here again. If you don’t see me you hide.” Glenn whispered to Carol and went around the house quietly until he reached the front and peeked to see who was at the door.

Seeing the uniform startled him for a moment, but then he realized it was none other than Rick Grimes. A shaved and healthy looking Rick. He seemed years younger too and sported that familiar hat.

“Can I help you?” Glenn showed himself but didn’t come any closer.

“Glenn Rhee?” Rick asked, but Glenn could tell it was more a habit than an actual question. Rick knew who he was.

“How did you find me?” Deciding to just jump into it Glenn didn’t hesitate in asking.

Rick took on a casual stance and even leaned against the wall of the house. “Funny thing that. Didn’t know I was supposed to look for you at first.”

Glenn tilted his head, “What changed your mind?”

Rick grinned but it was a rather sad expression if anything, “Finding out my wife and partner liked to spend a little too much time together was enough for me to find out your name. The pizza delivery car helped.”

“Sorry to hear that.” Glenn said and he meant it. He didn’t think Lori and Rick were actually right for each other, but he was still sorry Rick got hurt.

Rick just waved it away as if it didn’t really matter, “It’s been a while and it turned out better than I’d expected. Nothing had happened yet and we’ve sort of handled it peacefully because of it. Of course, that just made you knowing about it in the first place all the more interesting.”

Glenn snapped his mouth shut not willing to get into that at all.

Smiling at him Rick continued, “I was curious enough to ask you about it, but by then you’d up and disappeared from every place I could look for you.”

Glenn just shrugged at him then saying, “Something still brought you here.”

Rick was still kind of laughing at him silently as he answered, “Sure did, and mighty strange it was. Four days ago there was a car chase and a car flipped over. A guy comes out shooting and I take a bullet to the vest. Out comes another one and he’s shot down. But see, I keep playing that conversation in my head, over and over again and I get up on my feet and I watch that car like a hawk.” He hesitates for a moment, “If I’d turned for just a second, that guy probably would have shot me.”

Glenn lets out a relieved breath he wasn’t even aware he was holding. That was one hurdle out of the way and it probably couldn’t have turned out better.

Rick gives him a look but continues talking, “So as soon as I was cleared and done with the paperwork, I put your name in the system again, and what do you know, a Glenn Rhee pops up in a bail payment for a Merle Dixon. First chance I got I drove here.”

“Shit. I forgot about that.” Glenn rubbed at the back of his neck.

“Mind telling me how you knew about all that?” Rick came closer and Glenn decided there was nothing for it. He finally circled the porch and climbed the steps. He motioned for Rick to follow and got inside the house.

He put a soda on the table in front of an empty seat and took the one on the opposite side. “You’re not gonna believe me if I tell you. That’s why I called you the way I did.”

“That may be, but I would still like to know.” Rick took the seat and gave Glenn that piercing look of his that just demanded answers.

Glenn sighed again, “Fuck it. I woke up not long before I’d called you and realized I was in the past and all the future that I’d lived through was yet to happen. I know shit that would blow your mind, but it all sounds so crazy no one would believe me if I told them.”

Rick raised an eyebrow, “I must admit, it sounds a bit far-fetched.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.” Glenn snorted, “And that’s not even the best part.” He thought about prettying it up, but decided he didn’t really care all that much anymore. They still had little more than a month to go and he was out of time. “It won’t be long now that weird shit will start to happen. Strange attacks by other people and fevers without a cure. It will escalate fast and before you know it the government will try and contain it by force and sacrifice. It won’t work. Originally, by the time you woke up from the coma, all the bigger cities were mostly bombed and all those who’d died were walking and attacking the few of us still living.”

Rick was looking at him wide eyed but Glenn decided to ignore him and just continued, “It’s something viral that brings the dead back to life. Only they’re not actually alive. They just have the urge to keep going and to feed. They don’t have emotions or memories, they don’t feel pain. You kill them by a head shot, nothing else will work as efficiently because even without arms and legs they’ll still try and bite you. You get bitten you’re dead in a matter of hours, rarely days. The civilization as you know it now will be gone and everything will be about the survival of the fittest.”

Rick steeled his jaw, “I don’t believe you.”

Glenn chuckled half pissed off. “I told you, you wouldn’t. But I’ve been right twice so far in your case, haven’t I?”

Rick hesitated.

“Think about it, can you afford to not believe me when it could mean a difference between your family living and dying?” Glenn asked.

Rick chewed on it for a few minutes before reluctantly asking, “What would you recommend?”

“Stock up. Food, hygienic products, weapons, clothes. Think about all the things you might need in a world without government, police, hospitals and stores. There is no more food production, no electricity, gas, and even the living are more likely to kill you for the things you have than to help you. Plan for everything you can think of and have a good getaway vehicle. It will start slowly but escalate fast and by then the chaos will make everything close to impossible. I told you about meeting at the quarry near Atlanta. That’s because I know there will be more survivors there and the place will be safe for a few weeks. There are people there I’d want to save. But if you want, I’d trust you to come here. I have a safe place organized. Just make sure that each person you take with you is someone you trust with the life of your kid. Nothing less will keep you alive.”

Rick let out a breath, “That’s a lot to take in.”

“Sure is.” Glenn chuckled then got up and dug out a map which he spread out on the table in front of them.

“This is the quarry here. This here is a farm that is another safe place for a while. It has people I would like to save but at the moment I don’t know how to manage that.” He pointed at the location of Terminus and Woodbury, then whole Washington area, “You avoid these at all costs. They will get you killed.”

“If I do this, I’ll most likely come back here or to this quarry. Depending on how things go. Maybe we could keep in touch?” Rick asked tentatively.

Feeling relived Glenn nodded, “Yeah. I would like that. Right now I don’t have enough people I trust to both stay here and go to the quarry for the others. And I would like to vet some of the ones we encounter because they might be some of the bad ones out there.”

“I’ll hold you to it then. But I should probably go now if what you’re saying is true. That’s a lot of things to plan and not enough time.” Rick stood up.

Glenn joined him then decided to hell with it and asked, “Do you think if I gave you a list of names and their description and the general area where they live you could get me their contacts?”

Rick hesitated and Glenn pushed through, “I’ll just call them and warn them, give them a chance to survive the same I did with you. I tried looking for the others but I just don’t have the resources.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” Rick agreed and with that Glenn walked him to the door.

They didn’t know each other, or at least Rick didn’t know Glenn and he could tell Rick just wanted to get out of there and process everything. It was fair. Glenn probably would have needed way more time to handle everything in his shoes. But right now all Glenn could do was hope for the best.

He watched as the car drove away then went to the back yard and sat down to cut some more coupons and wait for Carol. She still wasn’t aware of the future and Glenn doubted he would tell her before she saw the cave. Something they would have to handle soon. He honestly wasn’t aware the end was so close. But he supposed it was the same with everything, time always ran away from you.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Carol was cooking with Sophia on Sunday afternoon while Glenn paced on the front porch waiting for Daryl and Merle to return. Partially it was due to plain worry because what they’d planned on doing could have been dangerous and partially because no matter how tentative Rick’s promise might have been, Glenn now had a possible option and he wanted to talk it out with Merle and Daryl.

He heard the door behind him open and turned to See Carol watching him carefully. “Is everything alright?”

He gave her a strained smile and what was meant to be a reassuring, “Everything is fine.”

Carol opened her mouth then closed it again, pressing her fingertips against her lips. Then she seemed to find some courage and actually asked, “It’s just… you’ve been pacing for a while, and you’ve been tense ever since that visitor.”

Glenn rubbed at his face, “It’s nothing dangerous, something just came up and I would like to make some plans with Daryl and Merle. Plus I’m worried about them.”

Carol smiled at that as if saying she understood then just nodded and retreated back inside.

That was when Glenn heard the truck and as soon as he noticed both of them inside he opened the house door and shouted at Carol, “They’re here! I’m gonna take them out for some supplies and for a talk. We’ll be back in an hour.”

He didn’t listen to hear what she said, instead he ran to the truck once they stopped and climbed in, pushing Daryl to the middle.

“Everythin’ alright?” Daryl asked looking at him with badly concealed worry.

Glenn just turned and kissed him deeply, loving the taste of him on his lips. He patted his cheek then turned to Merle and did the same thing, his sharp stubble prickling against his palm. “That cop I’ve told you about came by the house. I’d called him back at the beginning, told him how to avoid getting shot and some other things and he tracked me to your place.”

“We gotta make a run for it?” Merle tightened his hands around the wheel.

“No. We’re good. In fact he might solve some of our people issues. He said we’ll stay in touch and plan on how we’re gonna handle everything. If he joins us with his family and some other people he gathers, we could lead them to the cave and then we’ll have enough people to keep the things going and a few of us can leave to collect the others, maybe get Maggie.” Glenn said the last part softly, afraid to hope.

“See? Told ya it would all work out.” Merle grinned.

Glenn leaned his head against Merle’s shoulder and gripped Daryl’s hand, “Let’s get out of here, go for ice cream or a walk or something. Carol’s making lunch but I want to spend some time with you. You know, calm before the storm kind of thing.

“Can head out to the old man Abbot’s shack. Got a nice view up there.” Daryl suggested and Merle nodded in agreement, starting up the car.

“A shack. Sound all romantic and everything.” Glenn joked.

“The two of us can make anything romantic, just ya wait and see, Chinaman.” Merle chuckled while Daryl snorted. It was his go to reaction every time Merle bragged and Glenn loved the whole exchange. It made them seem so genuine.

“How did the building go?” Glenn remembered to ask now that he’d shared the biggest news.

“We changed the plans. We couldn’t build anything too big cause then it needs more materials and more support so it doesn’t drop, besides, when it’s smaller it’s much easier to hide.” Daryl explained.

But it was Merle who continued, “We thought we could build five or ten smaller tree stands, more like miniature tree houses and turn them into guard towers. We use some of that leaf cut scrim and cover you got for hidin’ the digester.”

Glenn bit his lip, thinking, “We won’t have enough for that many. Is it real noticeable up in the trees? The forest is so thick up there half the time I don’t know where I’m going.”

“It ain’t but we still gotta hide them. Build some rope ladders and set up a system so we can drop them when the stand’s empty.” Daryl told him.

Sighing Glenn pressed his head back, “I guess I have to find some more camouflage. At least a place to steal it after if I can’t find nothing cheap to buy.”

“You’ll figure something out. Been doin’ alright so far.” Daryl told him as he rubbed his knuckles against Glenn’s cheek.

Merle parked the truck and Glenn waited until they got out before following. At first he only saw trees and what actually was a shack with half its roof missing. But then he went after Daryl and Merle and barely a minute of walk away the trees opened up into a cliff drop and he could only see the forest everywhere with the sun kissing the tips of the tree tops. It was stunning.

“Romantic enough for ya?” Merle whispered as he wrapped his arm around Glenn’s waist.

Daryl came from Glenn’s other side and did the same so he was nestled in between them watching the fucking sunset. How surreal was that?

Daryl kissed the top of his head and rubbed his nose in Glenn’s hair for a second before he pulled him tighter against his side.

Glenn relaxed in their hold and let out a deep breath. He didn’t want to plan and stress anymore. These were the last moments of true freedom left, moments he could enjoy without watching his back or thinking about the safety of others. “It’s beautiful, just what I needed. Thank you for bringing me here.”

“You’re very much welcome, darlin’.” Merle kissed his temple and somehow Glenn knew they would be alright. As long as they lived, they would be alright.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't even know why it took me this long to publish this last chapter. Life I guess. Anyway, it's here now and this story is officially finished. I at least got one done;) Enjoy;)

Glenn sat at the table staring at the contact information for the people he’d known in another life. Rick had come through and called what was probably hours ago, but Glenn was still sitting there, gathering courage while Carol walked by him every once in a while silent in her worry.

He didn’t want to make another call that sounded like the one he’d first made to Rick. But truly there was little else he could do without sounding insane. Maybe he should just wait a little more, but yesterday he’d heard the first report of an attack, mentioned as more of a side note so that he could barely find anything about it. It was starting and he was out of time.

“We’re back.” Daryl’s voice startled him as he and Sophia got inside, a small puppy cradled in Sophia’s arms.

It snapped Glenn out of his worry real quick, “You were supposed to order other animals, Daryl.”

“We did.” Daryl said but his expression was as clear as day, he wasn’t planning on budging on the dog.

“They’re noisy Daryl, and we can’t have that. It will get the dog killed and take us with it.” Glenn still tried.

“It won’t. We can train ‘im. I’d asked and we bought books and there’s something on You Tube. Sophia said we could watch it on Carol’s phone.” Daryl explained.

Glenn watched him for a minute, recognizing the want in his eyes. He probably expected Glenn to tell him no, but although Glenn didn’t think it a good idea, he still couldn’t forbid it. “You have to train him. Make him the best behaved dog out there. An asset and not a liability.”

Daryl wrapped his hand around the back of Glenn’s neck and pulled him into a deep kiss. “Best dog ya could wish for.”

Glenn grinned at him, loving the idiot so much.

“And they had the chickens and rabbits and they said we could take them with us as soon as we want.” Glenn heard Sophia telling Carol.

“Everything work out?” Glenn asked Daryl.

“Yeah. We just havta organize the transportation.” Daryl nodded wrapping his arm around Glenn’s shoulders.

“We’ll spend the rest of our money on animal feed.” Glenn sighed. “I’ll have to scout out some more farms to raid later. Maybe we could even plant there with watch next year.”

“Anything happen while we were gone?” Daryl wondered, probably recognizing the stress Glenn was under.

“Rick called. Gave me the contacts for some of the people.” Glenn admitted. “I don’t know how to even start on those calls.”

Rubbing his thumb over Glenn’s clavicle, Daryl said, “One at a time and see what happens. The worst thing is they’ll think you’re crazy but in a few weeks that won’t matter and they’ll still know where to go.”

“Fuck it, you’re right.” Glenn pushed his fingers through his hair and vaguely wondered where his hat had ended up. He would have to get a few more just in case.

He pressed another quick kiss against Daryl’s lips and sat down on the couch, putting the phone in his lap and the list of numbers beside him.

Dialing T-Dog’s number had his heart almost pounding its way out of his chest and once he answered for a moment Glenn’s mind went blank until he somehow found his words, “Hey man, T-Dog, right?” He waited for the affirmative before continuing, “My name is Glenn and you don’t know me, but soon bad things will start to happen and I want to help you survive.”

“Shit, who put you up to this man? It’s not funny.” T-Dog said annoyed.

“And I’m not laughing. Listen, I know you won’t believe me, but ask yourself if it’s better to listen to me and live or call me crazy and die in a month?” When there was nothing but silence on the other side, Glenn continued, “You should start stockpiling food and in general survival supplies. Imagine if the world as you know it would be gone in a month, what would you miss and couldn’t live without? You gather as much of those type of things as you can and watch the news. You’ll notice it happening quickly and remember, only a blow to the head can kill them and you can’t get bit. If one of them bites you, you die.”

“That’s insane.” T-Dog huffed.

Glenn nodded, “It sounds that way, I know, but this is a chance and you should take it. Don’t stay in Atlanta because it will be bombed. Instead, when you think it’s safe enough, go to the Quarry just outside of it. It will be safe there for a while, and I should meet you and a few others not long after. Just remember, if you have someone you wish to save, you should do it now because if you wait it will be too late.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” T-Dog said, then promptly hung up.

It was expected, but Glenn still felt stung.

Daryl gripped his shoulder in support and Glenn shrugged the pain away, picking the next person to call.

“Hello, is this Michonne?” Glenn asked.

“Yes. Who is this?” She wondered with an unfriendly tone.

“You don’t know me, but please listen for a minute, what I say might save your son’s life.”

“Are you threatening me?” She asked angrily.

“Not at all. I want all of you to live, so please listen to me and be ready and then if nothing happens you can just call us both crazy. But if there is even a chance of danger, can you afford yourself to ignore me?”

She hesitated for a long minute before saying, “Go on.”

“In about a month….”  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Hours later, when Glenn had partly lost his voice and felt like he wouldn’t be up to talking again in weeks, Carol came into the room and sat next to him. He looked at her curiously as Daryl stood up and left the room some strange excuse on his lips, but once he noticed the tension on her face he instantly realized what the issue was. They’d never went into details with Carol, never took her to the cave and it’s been weeks already and now he’d spent hours telling other people about it.

“Shit. I’m sorry Carol.” He croaked.  
She looked at him with her infinite patience, “Were you ever going to tell me?”

He reached for her hand but she moved away, “Hey, of course. You’re family, Carol. We just kept postponing it, worried that you would take Sophia and go and then we wouldn’t be able to save you.”

Carol tilted her head to the side, “I’m not stupid, you know. You’ve been more stressed than usual in the past couple of weeks but you never wanted to tell me what was happening. I dislike secrets, especially when I don’t know if they might be a risk to my daughter.”

“I know, I know.” Glenn nodded his head looking at the floor. “I’ve fucked up. Should have taken you to the cave already, but it just never happened. I’ve hardly been there since you two came to live here. It didn’t feel right to leave you two alone and Merle and Daryl are better at building than I am. They were more useful in the forest than staying here with you.”

“Do you know for sure something will happen?” Carol wondered instead of running away and Glenn considered it a win.

“I saw a mention of the first attack on the news yesterday. It wasn’t more than a couple of sentence, but I know what to look for and the reports will air more often now. Won’t take long for it to spread.”

“What is it exactly?” Carol crossed her palms in her lap and gripped her fingers.

“Some kind of a virus or something. The scientists didn’t know much, but what it meant was that once you died you woke up again, with only the basic urge of hunger. Nothing remained of the previous person, just a mindless beast attacking the living so it could feed. Now imagine how many people die daily, and imagine all of them getting back up and trying to eat the living. Just one bite and in a matter of hours, rarely more than that, the bitten die and wake up only to attack a few more people. It didn’t matter if you died in a car crash or from a heart attack, you got up. The only thing that put a person permanently down was a head blow. Hard enough to damage the brain.”

Carol pressed her fingertips against her lips.

“Like I said, at first it will be isolated, but it won’t take long. One person dies a natural death then gets up, bites the family. The police get there, the paramedics. One is accidentally bitten and the dead is restrained because they don’t know what they’re up against and all of them infected go to the hospital. See where I’m going with this?” Glenn raised his eyebrows as he looked at her.

Carol just nodded looking horrified.

“Once the danger was known and news reported it, it was thought only the bite or the fever killed, and the infected were supposed to be isolated and turned in to the police. But the relatives of the dead had trouble abandoning their dead family members, thinking they could still be helped, so they held them locked up. That didn’t turn out well at all. The government eventually set up evacuation centers as the numbers started to go in the favor of the dead. Clusters of people in one place where those taken in weren’t checked for bites and no one knew to watch for those likely to die of natural causes. What do you think happened?” Glenn asked sarcastically.

“How do you know this?” Carol whispered.

“I lived through it once.” Glenn snorted at her expression, “I know you don’t believe me, but it’s the truth. I lived through the beginnings when the dead were the worst thing we had to fear. But a year and a half or so after, it was the living who were the end of me. Who do you think survived in the end?”

“Criminals.” Carol said softly.

“In part. But the worst of them were probably the best neighbors you could ask for. They just had a vicious streak and saw an opportunity to be on top in the new world order. The survivors were the tough ones, those not afraid to make hard decisions and usually those who had a stronghold of a sort.”

“That’s why you’re building one.” Carol realized.

“Yes. The first time around we ran from one dangerous situation to the next, unprepared and depending too much on others. I wanted us to have a chance this time and I’m doing my best to pick those people I know are good and have the strength to survive and be an asset.” Glenn confessed.

“But why the forest? It seems inaccessible and how will you get all those people to your shelter. Will it be big enough?” Carol seemed to be full of questions.

“Yes. It’s big enough for those invited, probably more, but I’m hoping those I’ve warned will come with family members who didn’t live the first time round. And the forest was actually Daryl’s choice. I wanted a place I could defend and where other people wouldn’t be able to find us. When we walked through Georgia, we found a few strongholds, made a couple ourselves, but all of them fell, simply because there was always a meaner leader around who either wanted to destroy us or wanted what we had. This time I don’t want anyone finding us. The place is hard to get to and we’ll be able to defend ourselves. It was the best I could do with limited resources, but I’m happy with it. You’ll let me know what you think and what I might have missed while planning. We still have some time to add things.” Glenn grinned.

Carol smiled but then turned serious and seemed to hesitate before asking, “Did Sophia live?”

Glenn shook his head in no, “We lost her almost at the beginning. She ran into the forest because she was scared and that was enough.”

He watched as tears slid down her face, “But you outlived me as far as I know. And you were the one who slammed a pickaxe into Ed’s dead skull.”

She chuckled through her tears, “That’s why you want us trained.”

Glenn nodded, “Yes. I want you both able to defend us and yourselves. We won’t coddle anyone. If you plan to live you learn to fight. It’s a rule everyone will have to agree to before I even take them to the shelter.”

“I like that. If it gives Sophia a chance you have my full support.”

Glenn laughed, “I’m sorry, but it’s just weird that you’re not running away calling me insane.”

Carol quirked her lips, “What can I say, you’re really convincing. And Daryl and Merle seemed to believe you, unless they’re from the future as well?”

Glenn shook his head.

“You see? You believe it so fiercely and there’s a certain desperation to you that makes you hard to doubt. I’ll go along with it until I fully believe it myself. After all, the three of you have been nothing but welcoming so far. I’m not going to spit on that.”

The phone rang and expecting one of the people he’d called to be on the other line Glenn answered. But instead it was Carol’s lawyer and he passed the phone to her.

He watched as she gave one word answers and turned paler by the minute until she hung up and just stared at the phone transfixed and terrified.

“Carol? Carol?” He wrapped his fingers around her upper arm, “What’s wrong?”

She looked at him then, “Ed is filing for emergency custody tomorrow. She knows someone who let her know. I don’t understand. Am I an unfit mother, Glenn?”

Glenn pulled her into a hug, “No, no. You’re the best mother a kid could ask for Carol. Ed just wants to hurt you.”

She nodded against him before whispering, “I have to run. He’ll find us here.”

Glenn thought about it quickly then called for Daryl.

“Ed is filing for emergency custody of Sophia. We have to hide them.” Glenn told him as Daryl joined them.

“Take them to the cave?” Daryl asked.

“No. I’m thinking you take them to the closest bigger bus station. Get a ticket for something further away, like Colorado or Utah. Make sure people notice you on the station, ask the time, drop something. It doesn’t matter. Then, the first bigger bus stop where you see people disembarking, you sneak out. They might notice, but they might not. Daryl will pick you up there and take you to the cave. In that case if anyone comes looking we can say you left and we don’t know where. We’ll leave you at the cave and do our usual routine for a while, but you’ll be safe there.” Glenn explained the plan.

“Should we go right away?” Carol asked.

“I think it’s better you do. That way we can drop you off at the cave today, make sure you get a handle of everything and then return here for work in the morning.” Glenn confirmed.  
So they ended up doing exactly that. Glenn waited for Merle to come home before they filled up the van with some of the things they’d planned on moving to the cave and now had to put a rush on it. The van could only go so far into the forest, but they figured they could make a half trip with the truck once they got there. It would be a workout but there was nothing for it. They had a plan and they would stick to it.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Both Carol and Sophia looked spooked once they stopped next to the parked van.

“Everything go alright?” Glenn asked looking at Daryl.

“Went fine.” He said as he got out and started filling up the truck bed with Merle.

So Glenn glanced at Carol, “Doing okay?”

She swallowed, “It’s strange. There was no one actually after us, but all the while I felt as if someone was chasing us and I’m still all tense and frightened.”

“It will pass.” Glenn smiled at her and patted her on the shoulder.

Sophia just stayed curled up next to her on the seat and Glenn decided against disturbing her.

Once they were all packed up, Merle jumped in the back while Glenn joined the others inside and they were off.

The actual walk to the cave was an adventure for Sophia, but rather tedious for the rest of them. They’d stashed a couple of wheelbarrows where they usually parked the car, so Daryl and Merle loaded them up while Carol and Glenn took as many things as they could carry. The trip was long and tiring and Glenn hated the thought of Merle and Daryl doing it all once again to get the rest of their things from the truck.

When Merle and Daryl stopped in front of the second entrance Carol looked around asking, “We’re at the cave? Where is it?”

It was Daryl who chuckled and neared the now completely covered fern entrance pushing his arm in the gap of the mesh to unfasten the safety hooks. He entered and held the improvised door opened for the rest of them.

Carol was tentative while entering but once she saw there was actual light inside she just walked in, Sophia following.

“This is so big.” She looked around, turning, “Is that a toilet? And a shower? And what is that barrel over there? Was that a bike?”

Glenn grinned, “Yeah. It will be a bit cold in the winter but everything works and we will have hot water once the animals get here. We plan on building a sort of small smoke house on this side of the cave, so that might help warm the place up some. The barrel is actually a washing machine. Saw it on YouTube and Daryl actually built it. Washes like three loads and all you have to do is sit down and work your legs on the bike pedals.”

“And that works?” Carol asked skeptical.

“Sure. We tried it. Takes a while and it’s a killer on your legs, but I figured everyone needs some practice because I plan on everyone actually riding a bike in the future as pretty much the main form of transportation.”

Carol was all shades of disbelief so Glenn just smiled and motioned toward the entrance to the rest of the cave where he picked up two stashed flash lights, “Come on. This is just the bathroom part of the place and we still should place some privacy barriers around here but that was never urgent.”

Getting them through the tight passage to the rest of the place took some doing, but once back out in the open Glenn ignored the questions about the light coming in from their left and led them to the right, deeper into the cave.

He showed her the food storage caves that had Carol gasping and speechless and the cave he’d already prepared for the mushrooms. But the real sight was the main cave, with the kitchen and the large center section where they’d built a fire pit.

“Glenn, that’s an actual kitchen.” Carol grabbed his arm as Glenn shone some light on the place.

Glenn chuckled, “Yes it is. For now you’ll have to use the wood burning cook stove, but when there’s enough of us, we’ll use methane for cooking.”

“What about light?” Carol wondered.

“We had a plan of rigging everything to work on methane, but none of us know enough about it so for now you’ll have to use the solar lanterns. Just hang them all around the places you might need and don’t forget to take them outside in the sun to charge them. There’s enough fire wood to keep you warm if you need it and plenty of food. Don’t go outside if you don’t really have to because you might get lost and there’s no one to call for help until we’re all here.”

“We’re supposed to stay in the dark all the time?” Carol looked skeptical.

“No, but give me a minute to show you the bedrooms.” Glenn led the way to the smaller sections they’d intended for sleeping.

“For now this is the only one with an actual mattress inside. It’s improvised with the pallets but all of them will be like that unless someone feels like building a bed. This is where we’ve bene sleeping when we stay the night, so you can use it until we come to stay here, and then we’ll bring more mattresses with us. There are a couple of hammocks in the storage if you feel like sleeping in one. You just have to hang it.” Glenn shone his light on the bolts in the walls. “We’ve put these in every room around. Now I just have to steal enough of them for sleeping. You’ll find linens too. But if you find you’re missing something, put it on the list and we’ll work on it. Now come, let me show you our orchard.”

Glenn led them back, over the rise and then into the clearing.

“Mum, look at the waterfall.” Sophia pointed her finger at their water source.

Glenn motioned to the right where they’d already planted some fruit, “This is our section. There’s enough space for some fruit trees and I figure for any planting we want to do. Some things we’ll have to do on the nearby farms. The left side is separated for the animals. They have their water source and enough of space to walk around. Those caves on the inside are where we’ll keep them. Daryl and I will start bringing them this week. So you’ll have to take care of them until we can come and help out. There are books inside about care and feeding if you need to check out anything. I’ll get some more eventually, but those will be easier to steal than they were to buy.”

“You’ve really thought this through. The only thing you’re missing is a bee hive.” Carol commented half joking.

“Shit. I’ll have to look into that. Maybe secure one on the farms. It’s better for them probably than this high up. And I had to think of everything. I want to live though this, want Daryl and Merle to stay alive.” He got lost in his head for a moment then shook the gloom away, “There’s an armory inside, a space for the library. I figure we’ll get a couple of cats in case mice decide to feast on our animal feed, but we’ll keep the dog at the house for now, because he needs to be trained well.” Glenn did his best to remember everything he needed to share, then went around the place once more with Carol to show her every nook and all the important details.

By the time the three of them left the two were settled in, with a fire going and a meal cooking.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Carol made the cave work and they managed to transport all the animals they’d wanted without anyone asking any questions. They had a visit from the police in regards to Carol, but once they offered their story the cops went elsewhere and in a matter of days they were too overworked to keep looking.

All three of them had quit their jobs the moment the first airplane crashed and funeral homes reported violence. That was also the day Rick called.

Daryl was the one who answered with a grunt and simply passed the phone along to Glenn, “I want to send Lori and the kids to stay with you.”

Glenn paused for a moment caught unprepared, “Without you and Shane? Are you sure? What’s Shane got to say to that?”

Rick chuckled, “Threats and shouting, but he knows we can’t protect them if this gets any worse and I’ve already shared what you’ve told me. We have to stay here, I feel duty bound. I’ll help as long as I can.”

“And he believed you?” Glenn felt his eyebrows rise at that.

“Hard not to when he saw a guy take a chunk out of his wife and emptying a clip into him didn’t even slow him down.” Rick answered seriously.

“Yeah, that’ll do it.” Glenn rubbed at his cheek, “Look. I don’t have a problem with Lori coming here, but she’s a difficult woman and we have rules. You have to explain to her how things are going to be. That’s for everyone, not just her, but you should keep it in mind. No one you don’t absolutely trust and no slackers.”

“What kind of rules?” Rick asked guarded.

“Everyone pulls their weight, and I mean with everything, be it guard duty or laundry or cooking. She will have weapons and general defense training. Carl too.” Glenn told him.

Rick chuckled, “Man, I’ll have to get Shane to back me up with that. But I see where you’re coming from. I actually want Carl to learn.”

“And you should warn her we have animals and she will have to do farm work.”

Rick groaned, “Anything else?”

Glenn smiled, “Not really, just keep in mind that in a couple of weeks there won’t be any more law left. I’ll steal what I have to for us to survive and you two should do the same.”

“I’ll keep it in mind.” Rick agreed.

“Good. Tell Lori to pack as much as she can fit in her car. From clothes to food and baby things. A bike if Carl has one. I really mean everything that’s useful.” Glenn added.

“Will do.” Rick said before hanging up.

She turned up two days later, but all of them were dressed for hiking and she had a look of steel about her.

“Hi, I’m Glenn. Had a good trip?” He asked, giving her his hand.

Lori shifted the baby in her arms and offered him hers for a handshake. “The world’s done and gone insane.”

“People attacked us when we stopped for gas.” Carl offered but Lori didn’t even reprimand him, instead she said, “This is Carl, and this here is Marie.”

Huh, not even the name stayed the same Glenn thought before asking, “Do you want to come inside or leave for the cave right away?”

“I would prefer to leave for someplace safe. I don’t feel comfortable out in the open like this. Not after all we’d seen while coming all the way here.”

“Alright, I’ll go get Daryl and we’ll take you. You should call Rick and Shane while you still can. There’s no signal in the forest.”

Travelling with all of them proved to be somewhat of a challenge but Carl was over the moon and little Marie kept gazing around at all the trees. Lori was skeptical once they reached the cave, but then she met Carol and Sophia and that seemed to lighten her fears.

They now had three somewhat set rooms at the cave with the mattresses from the house they’d transferred, and Glenn was glad for it since it helped them not to worry about Lori and the kids.

The last week before the fall of communications passed in last minute arrangements. They watched as the world went insane by the hour on the news still showing and they secured the house as best as they could. The moment everything fell they would leave for the cave, and then in a couple of weeks, after the Atlanta bombing, for the quarry. In the mean time they would start training Lori and Carl so Carol and Sophia could take over somewhat once they’re all gone.

“I believed ya, but it’s still a hellova thing ta see.” Merle mumbled pressed against one of Glenn’s shoulders on the couch and having a firm grip against Glenn’s thigh.

“It will get worse on some things, but right now when both the dead and the living are bleeding it’s overwhelming.” Glenn agreed as they watched a recording of the police trying to hold of a hoard and slowly getting eaten alive. Glenn knew they would surrender the cities after this.

“Glad you’ve found your way to us.” Daryl grunted on Glenn’s other side.

“Believe me, there’s no one happier than me. The last time I was in Atlanta when this was happening.” Glenn added taking hold of Daryl’s hand.

“Safe with us now.” Merle leaned and kissed the top of Glenn’s head.

And somehow that was enough. Glenn was in love again, this time looking at a much brighter future. He felt more capable, secure in the knowledge that the Dixons would have his back no matter what and the rest they would tackle in time. After all, despite not having it written down they were a family now and nothing can kill a Dixon but a Dixon.


End file.
